Prince Harry Mentions Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth at Travel Summit amid Whirlwind U.S. Trip
Prince Harry Mentions Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth at Travel Summit amid Whirlwind U.S. Trip
Meredith KileWed, September 23, 2026 at 10:01 PM UTC
0
Prince Harry delivers a keynote speech during the InterEdge Summit at Centrepiece in Melbourne on April 16, 2026.Credit: Jonathan Brady / POOL / AFP via Getty -
Prince Harry continued his whirlwind return to the U.S. on Wednesday, attending the Skift Global Forum
At the event, held in New York City during U.N. Week, Harry spoke with leaders in travel about the “strategies that will shape the industry’s next chapter”
During his remarks, Harry mentioned that he got to travel the world because “my grandmother sent me,” referencing the late Queen Elizabeth
Prince Harry continued his whirlwind trip to the U.S. this week — less than a month after moving his family to Britain.
The Duke of Sussex, 42, has returned stateside for multiple high-profile appearances in New York City, where world government and industry leaders are gathered for United Nations General Assembly week.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Harry attended the Skift Global Forum at the North Javits Center. The annual event gathers travel CEOs and innovators to discuss the “strategies that will shape the industry’s next chapter.”
During his remarks at the event, PEOPLE observed that Harry made mention of both his late mother, Princess Diana, and his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, when he spoke about his history with travel.
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel to, I think, probably all corners of the world, sent by my grandmother,” he said with a laugh. But on a more serious note, the prince said the worldwide exposure helped open his eyes to the importance of conservation and global community.
“Over 10 years ago, when I went to the Caribbean, once I had a very small kid, probably six years old, come up to me,” he recalled. “I don’t think they had any idea who I was at the time, but all the cameras were pointing at me, and it was clear that this person was the reason why everybody’s here.”
“He came up to me and said, ‘You know, because of your country, my country suffers,’ ” Harry continued. “And it really sat with me then; I thought, wow, that’s pretty profound.”
Prince Harry speaks at a children’s center event in Maseru, Lesotho, on Oct. 1, 2024Credit: Brian Otieno/Getty
The prince mentioned Diana, specifically, her tragic death in August 1997, when he spoke about how traveling to some of his favorite places, like Botswana, “reminds me very quickly that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.”
“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 shared, “but as a living system that sustains wildlife, communities and livelihoods.”
“That description captures something that we can easily forget when we talk about destinations as an industry. These places are not simply somewhere to travel to. They are home.”
Prince Harry announces Travalyst at A’dam Tower in Amsterdam on Sept. 3, 2019Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty
Harry has long had a foothold in the travel sector through Travalyst, the nonprofit organization he founded in 2019 to help drive more sustainable practices across the global tourism industry. The Duke of Sussex remains the organization’s founder and patron and has regularly spoken about the role the travel industry can play in protecting communities and destinations while encouraging more responsible tourism.
Advertisement
Earlier in the day, Harry delivered an impassioned speech about the dangers technology can pose to children at Bill and Hillary Clinton’s Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting. It’s a longtime cause for Harry and wife Meghan Markle, 45, and the duke spoke from his perspective as a parent as he urged leaders to look ahead to the evolving threats posed by artificial intelligence.
“I come to this as a father,” Harry said, “one who has shared countless conversations with other parents as they mourned the loss of their children to recklessly built technology.”
“Social media learned how to capture our attention. A.I. is learning how to enter our relationships,” he continued. “It doesn’t just want your attention, it wants your attachment. It wants to be the thing you confide in. The thing that remembers you. The thing that tells you it understands you. The ultimate sycophant. For a child, that distinction matters enormously.”
Prince Harry speaks at the 2026 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting at the New York Hilton Midtown on Sept. 23, 2026Credit: John Nacion/Getty
“We have spent years trying to loosen technology’s grip on children’s attention. We cannot wait another decade to discover what happens when technology has a grip on their relationships,” Harry concluded. “Innovation has never required us to gamble with our children’s lives. We should not accept that bargain now.”
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Prince Harry’s return to the U.S. comes at a significant moment in his family’s new chapter. Since relocating to Britain in late August, the Duke of Sussex has quickly resumed a visible schedule of public engagements there, while Meghan and their children — Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 — have largely remained out of the spotlight as they settle into their new home and school.
While she has yet to join him at an event, Meghan made a point to show her support for her husband’s efforts this week. On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Duchess of Sussex, 45, shared an Instagram video from Harry’s appearance at the 2026 WellChild Awards the day prior. The compilation showed the prince spending time with young honorees, sharing hugs and delivering remarks at the emotional ceremony.
Meghan set the footage to Sam Garrett’s 2017 song “I Believe,” with the song’s uplifting lyrics, including “I’m a lover, I was born this way / I’m a warrior and I will make a change,” appearing on screen.
Prince Harry meets with the winner of the Inspirational Child (4-6) award, Margot Jones-Billington, during the annual WellChild Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Sept. 21, 2026Credit: Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP via Getty
Harry’s trip to New York marks his fourth public appearance in the span of a week, with his recent engagements centered around causes he has long championed. Last week, he stepped out in London for the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards, before traveling to Birmingham for another Invictus-centered event, where he played pickleball with fellow veterans and met with 200 students.
Then, on Monday, Sept. 21, he attended the WellChild Awards before traveling to the U.S.
The busy week underscores the transatlantic life the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to maintain following their move. While the family has established a new base in Britain, they have kept their Montecito home and continue to have professional, charitable and personal ties in the United States.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
