Meghan and Prince Harry attend the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Awards Gala at the New York Hilton Midtown on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vowed that their fight against oppression was just the “beginning”.
The couple spoke at a star-studded New York gala on Tuesday, where they received a human rights award.
The duchess was asked about her decision to speak publicly about the suicidal feelings she fought during her brief time working for the royal family, saying: “It wasn’t an easy decision to make, as you can imagine”, but that it was “worth every second of whatever comes with it”.
The duke insisted that sharing stories of trauma or pain had “an enormous impact”.
The couple’s appearance came just 24 hours before the launch of their Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, which is expected to take aim at the royal family, the British media and the wider public.
The duke and duchess will suggest palace insiders were “planting” negative stories about them. In a provocative hint of what is to come, Prince Harry says in a trailer: “It’s a dirty game.”
As the couple posed on the red carpet at the Ripple of Hope award ceremony, they were asked whether they were putting money before their family and whether they regretted the timing of the documentary.
“So many questions,” the duke muttered as they walked inside.
They received the award from the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Foundation (RFKHR) alongside five others including Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian president. Former recipients include Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The duke said: “As we all face a complete and challenging time in the world, we choose the path of optimism of care for each other and our communities.”
Appearing to acknowledge the questions raised about their suitability for the award, he added: “We understand this honour, not about the culmination of a life’s work, but instead and in many ways for us, a beginning.”
“Bobby Kennedy said: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope’.”'
After picking up the award, the couple answered questions from Kerry Kennedy, president of the RFKHR, on stage.
The duchess, who wore a white, custom-made gown by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s creative director, and an aquamarine ring from the collection of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, said she had decided to share her mental health struggles in her interview with Oprah Winfrey last year because: “I don’t want anyone to feel alone.”
She said it was important to speak “honestly” about your experiences to give others the space and courage to do the same.
“Look, I was really ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry especially, because I know how much loss he has suffered, but I knew that if I didn’t say it, then I would do it. I just didn’t want to be alive anymore.
“But ultimately, if you feel like there’s someone else that has a lived experience. they’ve gotten to the other side, and gave an example of resilience, an example of ‘there is a happy ending’, I think that’s what most people are probably seeking out in those moments.
“That’s why I made the decision to just say ‘if my experience can help someone else not feel the same way or to know that there’s hope then it’s worth every second of whatever comes with it’.”
The duke said that we live in a world in which sharing stories and experiences has “an enormous impact” and that therefore, if you are in a position of influence or leadership, it is a “great example” to set.
He added: “Ninety-nine percent of people on planet earth are dealing with some form of trauma, loss or pain even more so since 2020.
“But you’ve got to lead from the front – society as we know is not made up to encourage vulnerability. We collectively can heal together if we share our stories.”
In a lighter moment, the duke joked he thought he was taking his wife on a “date night” adding that he “found it quite weird that we’re sharing the room with 1500 people”.
To laughter, he added: “But it’s nice to share date night with all of you, so thank you for coming.”
Kennedy said she was “proud” to be honouring Meghan and Harry for their “heroic” stance against the “structural racism” of the monarchy.
Tickets for the gala, which was hosted by actor Alec Baldwin, were being sold for up to $1 million each.
Asked what he admired about Harry, Baldwin – who accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust – told reporters that he appreciates how the duke “handles difficult circumstances with the press without having too much difficulty”.
He added: “They obviously have chosen a different path, and good for them.”
During the evening, the RFKHR and the couple’s Archewell Foundation announced they would launch a new category in the annual Speak Truth to Power video competition “to give participating students the opportunity to create videos showcasing women who are human rights defenders”.
The Archewell Foundation Award will “recognise students who have harnessed the power of visual storytelling to highlight a woman who has uplifted her community and, in doing so, changed the course of history for women everywhere”.