Prince Harry Speaks About the Royal Women Who Shaped Him — and One Place That Changed Him
Prince Harry gave a special mention to two royal women who share a special place in his heart.
Less than a month after returning to the UK, Prince Harry made a surprise trip to New York to undertake public engagements. He spoke about mindful tourism at the Skift Global Forum at the North Javits Center on Wednesday. While drawing from his own travels and life experiences, he mentioned two special royal ladies: his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth, and his mother, Princess Diana.
Having served as a senior royal for most of his life, Harry has often represented the Crown in various countries around the world. His royal duties enabled him to travel extensively and gain experiences that one might not otherwise have. The Duke of Sussex cracked a joke on himself, saying via PEOPLE, “I’ve been lucky enough to travel to, I think, probably all corners of the world, sent by my grandmother.” However, he further pointed out that seeing various parts of the world made him aware of the importance of conservation and global community.
Harry has widely admitted the profound impact Diana’s death had on him, and it was during that tragic period in his life when he visited Botswana for the first time. “I first traveled there shortly after my mother’s death, and over the years I’ve continued to understand the Okavango not simply as an extraordinary place to visit,” he mentioned, “but as a living system that sustains wildlife, communities and livelihoods.” He has gone back to the beautiful country time and again over the years and each visit seemingly reminds him that everyone is a “part of something much bigger” than themselves.
For many reasons, Botswana holds a special place in the Duke’s heart and he has made frequent trips to the country. He and Meghan Markle went on their third date there, after planning an impromptu camping trip. And the place witnessed the first time the couple exchanged their ‘I love yous’.
Over the past several years, Harry has promoted sustainable tourism. In 2019, he founded Travalyst, a non-profit organization for the same reason. While speaking in New York this week, he said, “We can easily forget when we talk about destinations as an industry. These places are not simply somewhere to travel to.” He added that these places are “home” to the locals.
Early on Wednesday, Harry also addressed the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, where he warned about the dangers of AI and its influence on personal relationships. Markle and their kids have not seemingly not joined the Duke on his US trip.
