Big hearted Prince Harry has fulfilled A promise to meet seriously ill children in the UK – making a fun and at times emotional video call to them from his home in California.
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The Duke of Sussex chatted to the winners of this year's WellChild Awards, in association with GSK, about family life in America with his children and dogs and appeared visibly moved when told his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, would have been so proud of him.
WATCH: Prince Harry moved as nurse says Princess Diana would be proud of him
In the video, shared exclusively with Hellomagazine.com, Harry spoke to each winner and their families and apologised for not having been able to meet them in person.
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The Duke and Duchess had been due to attend this year’s WellChild ceremony on 8 September, but pulled out so Harry could travel to Scotland as concerns grew for his grandmother the Queen.
Prince Harry delighted WellChild award winners from his Los Angeles home
Winners included Henry Waines, four, who was born with serious health problems and appeared on the call with his parents Ben and Shevonne.
Told Henry had been named after him, the Duke replied: “My name is Henry. Well everyone calls me Harry. I have no idea why.”
Laughing at the little boy’s enthusiastic chatter, he told him: “You sound just like my son Archie really. The same little squeaky voice. I love it.”
Prince Harry was surprised to learn that Henry Waines had been named after him
Henry asked him: “How are Archie and Lilibet doing?”
The Duke told him: “They're doing great…Archie is very, very busy. And Lily is learning to use her voice, which is great.”
Harry, who has been patron of WellChild since 2007, attempted some sign language to speak to 10-year-old Shakeerah Crowther, the only known survivor of a rare bacterial brain infection acquired during treatment for a brain tumour
Using BSL, he signed: “How are you? Nice to meet you.”
Shakeerah taught Harry to sign his name
Signing as her mum Yasmeen interpreted for her, Shakeerah told him: “My name’s Shakeerah, thank you for giving me this award. You are amazing.”
Harry appeared moved as she added: “I’m sorry about your grandmother the Queen.”
He was shown by Yasmeen how to spell out his name in BSL and asked about a huge helium balloon shaped like a giraffe in the background.
“How long have you had that giraffe for? Because Archie’s got a giraffe as well and it’s lasted a very long time. And we call him Gerald.”
Harry revealed to Shakeerah that Archie had a giraffe named Gerald
Told it had lasted since the awards ceremony on September 8, the Duke joked to WellChild CEO Matt James: “What are you putting in the balloons?”
Speaking to Isabelle Delaney, 13, winner of an Inspiration Young Person award, he admired her assistance dog, a Labradoodle called Hope.
Harry said: “We all need a dog that keeps us calm. I've got three in this house now, so we basically have five children. But I've got a black Labrador called Pula, a rescue beagle called Guy, and we got another rescue beagle called Mia. And between the three of them, they charge around chasing squirrels and causing all sorts of problems to us every single day. But they are also emotional support dogs, 100%, when they're behaving.”
Isabelle Delaney's dog, Hope, made an appearance
Next up was seven-year-old Tony Hudgell, who survived life-changing injuries caused by abuse as an infant and has since become a household name after raising £1.7 million for the hospital that treated him.
Sitting with his adoptive parents Paula and Mark, he smiled as Harry told him: “I'm thanking you for your resilience, your determination, your bravery, your strength, your everything. You seem like a bit of a superhero. Where's your cape?”
Tony replied: “I do have a cape in my room. I don’t wear it a lot.”
“Only on weekends,” laughed Harry.
Harry seemed emotional talking to Evelyn Rodger, a Diana Children’s Nurse with Children’s Hospices Across Scotland
Tony showed the Duke a copy of a book written about him called Go Tony Go, which he plans to send to him in California.
“The good news is that my kids will be able to read your book,” Harry said.
Harry Byrne, eight, joined the call with mum Sophie and the Duke told him: “You’ve got the coolest name in the house.”
The schoolboy was recognised for helping to care for his little brother Reuben who sadly died last Christmas, and for raising thousands of pounds for the hospices that cared for him.
The Duke told him: “Keep doing those missions, Harry. That is exactly what everyone needs. Everyone needs a purpose. Everyone needs a mission. Everyone needs meaning. You at your young age seem to already know exactly what your purpose is. So keep doing that. Keep bringing joy and happiness to people's lives.”
The Duke spoke to doctors and nurses recognised by Wellchild
Speaking to some of the doctors and nurses recognised by WellChild, Harry said: “Knowing what these families go through, every single day, it just puts any issues that I or any of us have, it just kicks it straight to the sidelines, because they are struggling every single day. Thank the Lord that WellChild is there to support them and give them everything they need.”
He was again visibly moved as Evelyn Rodger, a Diana Children’s Nurse with Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, told him how her role had been funded “from your mum’s memorial fund,” adding: “I think your mum would be very proud of what that money has achieved. And I also think as a mum she'd be very proud of you, Harry.”
“That’s very sweet, thank you,” he replied, clearly touched.
Watch the full video above
Speaking to all the winners together, the Duke said: “I just want to say an enormous thank you to every single one of you, not just for giving your time this evening, but also just for being the most incredible human beings that we know of.
“Every single one of you, what you're doing is incredible. You are inspiring people up and down the country and around the world.”
WellChild is the national UK charity that supports children and young people with exceptional health needs to be cared for at home instead of hospital, wherever possible.
For more information, visit: www.wellchild.org.uk
