Prince Harry steps out solo for WellChild Awards amid Earl Spencer and King Charles tension

You are about to be charged £0.00* *Your gift has been applied Thank you for subscribing! Prince Harry steps out solo for WellChild Awards amid Earl Spencer and King Charles tension Meghan Markle was notably absent from the evening and has not appeared at any public engagement since the family's move back to Britain The fearless champion of Britain, its voices and its values. Join the fight for free speech and fearless journalism. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Community Rules. Don't Miss Most Read Latest Prince Harry arrived alone at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in West London this evening for the annual WellChild Awards, his third outing in public since the Sussexes relocated to Britain last month. The Duke of Sussex, dressed in a navy suit with a patterned tie, was met at the door by WellChild chief executive Matt James. He appeared in good spirits, smiling for photographers before heading inside. The ceremony honours seriously ill children living remarkable lives despite their conditions. Meghan Markle, 45, was notably absent from the evening and has not appeared at any public engagement since the family's move back to Britain. Meghan last accompanied Harry to the WellChild Awards in 2019. She was similarly absent from both of his Invictus Games appearances last week. Inside tonight's ceremony, Harry shared several touching exchanges with the young award recipients. He sat down with Margot Jones-Billington, winner of the Inspirational Child prize for ages 4-6, who suffered a devastating ruptured arteriovenous malformation at just 20 months old, resulting in a severe brain bleed and stroke. Upon learning she had marked her birthday the previous week, the 42-year-old duke sweetly offered his congratulations. Prince Harry arrived alone at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in West London this evening for the annual WellChild Awards, his third outing in public since the Sussex family relocated to Britain in late August |PA A lighter moment came when Harry met Will Messer, who took home the Inspirational Child award for the 7-11 category. Will's father presented the prince with a Funko Pop! figurine of himself, prompting Harry to quip that he resembled Stewie Griffin from Family Guy. "Do you want me to sign it?" Harry asked the young winner, who eagerly agreed. The duke then held the miniature figure beside his own face, asking: "What do you think?" Ahead of the ceremony, Harry issued a statement marking two decades of the WellChild Nurse programme, describing the milestone as "particularly special." LATEST ROYAL NEWS The Duke of Sussex was met at the door by WellChild chief executive Matt James (right), Stephanie Dean (second right), Craig Hatch, WellChild Chair of Trustees (centre), and Sally Beck general manager of Royal Lancaster Hotel (second left) |PA Inside tonight's ceremony, Harry shared several touching exchanges with the young award recipients |PA He praised the initiative for helping thousands of families care for their children at home over the past 20 years, calling the evening "a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through compassion, connection and community." The duke has served as WellChild's patron since 2007 and has attended the awards ceremony on numerous occasions. The charity provides vital support to seriously ill children and their families across the country. Celebrities including Peter Andre, Emily Andre, Harry Judd and Gladiator star Phantom were among those joining guests for the evening. The evening unfolded against the backdrop of Earl Spencer's forthcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, due for release on Tuesday. After its serialisation in the Daily Mail, extracts show explosive allegations about King Charles, including claims that the then-prince was "giddily elated" following Diana's death in 1997 and reportedly told the Earl that people would forget her "soon enough." Upon arriving at the hotel, Harry faced questions from reporters about whether he had recently spoken to his father, though he duly ignored any such approach. Looking ahead, the duke is expected in New York for the Clinton Global Initiative on September 22 and 23. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter