Prince Harry has issued a fresh statement after he made his first public appearance following his bombshell BBC interview last week. The Duke of Sussex attended The Knowledge event in Las Vegas on Tuesday, the same day as his son, Prince Archie, celebrated his sixth birthday.
Harry’s appearance at the event, organised by The Diana Award, aimed to highlight the need for business investment and youth development to work “hand in hand”. The prince was joined in a stage discussion by The Diana Award CEO Tessy Ojo, ServiceNow’s Paul Fipps, and The Diana Award recipients Christina Williams and Sonny Khan. The panel discussed how businesses can invest in strengthening the next generation of leaders to build a more robust and stronger workforce for the future.
According to a statement published on the Sussex website, the discussion sent a powerful message that “supporting underserved young people isn’t just an act of goodwill—it’s a smart, strategic investment in the talent of tomorrow.”
In the same statement, Harry highlighted: “Through The Diana Award, I’ve had the privilege of meeting young people who have turned adversity into action.
“That’s not just inspiring—it’s the kind of untapped potential we can’t afford to overlook. Far too many young people are locked out of leadership pipelines because we’ve failed to build truly inclusive and accessible pathways.”
Harry said that young people are not “waiting for permission to lead – they are already doing it.”
He added: “They bring emotional intelligence, social awareness, and an honesty about mental health that previous generations struggled to express.
“What sets them apart isn’t just their boldness, but their refusal to settle for the status quo. If we’re serious about a better future, we need to stop underestimating them and start listening.”
The duke praised the younger generation and called for “fearless leadership,” adding that he spent “as much time as” he could with today’s youth.
He said: “From a younger generation standpoint, in an apathetic world, there’s more empathy in this generation than I’ve ever seen before. When they stand up for themselves, and stand up in their communities. And that is what we need. We need fearless leadership. So I tip my hat to both of you and what you represent.”
Harry’s statement came just days after he told the BBC his father will not speak to him and he does not know how much longer the King has left.
The Duke of Sussex caused a sensation last Friday with his lengthy interview in response to losing a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the UK.
He appeared emotional and close to tears during much of the sit-down chat and described his court defeat as a “good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up” while also expressing hopes of a reconciliation with his family.