Prince Harry Received a Standing Ovation After His Passionate Speech at Vax Live

"None of us should be comfortable thinking that we could be fine when so many others are suffering."

By Alyssa Hardy

Prince Harry made his first public appearance since his grandfather Prince Philip's funeral on Sunday. During the taping of Global Citizen's VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, Harry made a passionate speech to a crowd of healthcare workers and celebrities about the pandemic and urged people to get vaccinated. 

"We are at a defining moment in the global fight against COVID-19. Tonight is a celebration of each of you here, the vaccinated frontline workers in the audience and the millions of frontline heroes around the world," he began. "You spent the last year battling courageously and selflessly to protect us all. You served and sacrificed, put yourselves in harm's way, and with bravery knowing the costs. We owe you an incredible depth of gratitude, thank you" 

He went on to say that the pandemic will not end without collective action from people getting vaccinated around the world. "The virus does not respect borders and access to the vaccine cannot be determined by geography. It must be accepted as a basic right for all and that is our starting point," Harry continued.

"None of us should be comfortable thinking that we could be fine when so many others are suffering. In reality, and especially with this pandemic, when any suffer, we all suffer. We must look beyond ourselves with empathy and compassion for those we know, and those we don't. We need to lift up all of humanity and make sure that no person or community is left behind. What we do in this moment will stand in history and tonight, we stand in solidarity with the millions of families across India who are battling a devastating second wave," he finished. 

According to The Daily Mail, Harry, who is a chair of the event along with his wife Meghan Markle, received a standing ovation from the crowd after his speech.

The event was raising funds for Covax, which is working to provide vaccines for low and middle-income countries. It also featured performances by Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez and H.E.R.