Prince Harry delivered a keynote speech on Nelson Mandela International Day, in which he referred to his wife Meghan Markle as his "soulmate."
On Monday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in New York City, where the British royal gave a special address to the United Nations. The couple held hands as they entered the building and Markle, 40, wore a pinky ring signifying women's empowerment, People magazine reported.
After New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke, Harry addressed the assembly.
"Those of us not fortunate to know Mandela well have come to understand the man through his legacy, the letters he wrote alone in his prison cell, the speeches he delivered to his people and those incredible shirts that he sported," the 37-year-old shared.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the United Nations on July 18, 2022, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The father of two then described a photo that his mother Princess Diana and Mandela took in 1997 that is "on my wall and in my heart every day." Diana met Mandela just five months before her death in a car crash in Paris at age 36.
"The photo was presented to me by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, whose friendship and inspiration were their own treasured gift," said Harry. "My wife and I had the honor of introducing our 4-month-old son to him back in 2019."
"When I first looked at the photo, straight away what jumped out is the joy on my mother's face," Harry continued. "The playfulness – cheekiness, even. The pure delight to be in communion with another soul so committed to serving humanity."
Harry also described how Mandela was "beaming" in the heartfelt photo despite all the hardships he endured in his lifetime.
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Prince Harry referred to Meghan Markle as his "soulmate" during the U.N. speech. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
"[He was] still able to see the goodness in humanity, still buoyant with a beautiful spirit that lifted everyone around him," said Harry. "Not because he was blind to the ugliness, the injustices of the world – no. He saw them clearly. He had lived them. But because he knew we could overcome them."
Harry also spoke about his love of Africa since his first visit at age 13. It was then that Harry revealed the special connection it holds for him and Markle.
"For most of my life, it has been my lifeline, a place where I found peace and healing time and time again," said Harry. "It's where I felt closest to my mother and sought solace after she died, and where I knew I had found a soulmate in my wife. And it’s why so much of my work is based there."
When the couple toured Africa in 2019, they met with Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel. Many of Harry’s family members, including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Prince Charles, met with Mandela over the years before his death in 2013 at age 95.
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Meghan Markle spoke at the United Nations in 2015, and married Prince Harry in 2018. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Markle, who did not speak during her appearance, previously spoke at a United Nations conference organized by U.N. Women on International Women’s Day in 2015.
The former American actress became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in May 2018 at Windsor Castle. The couple welcomed a son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departures from royal duties began in 2020 over what they described as the British media’s intrusions and racist attitudes toward the former "Suits" star. The family now resides in the coastal city of Montecito, California.
In the wake of quitting royal duties, they gave an explosive TV interview to Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, where they described painful comments about how dark Archie’s skin might be before his birth. The duchess talked about the intense isolation she felt inside the royal family that led her to contemplate suicide.
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Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle depart after he addressed the U.N. General Assembly on July 18, 2022, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Buckingham Palace said the allegations of racism made by the couple were "concerning" and would be addressed privately.
In June of that year, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter named Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. The name pays tribute to both Harry’s grandmother the queen, 96, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and his late mother.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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