Pregnant Meghan Markle left at home as Harry speaks to frontline workers at 'Vax Live' Covid-19 concert
Prince Harry joined a long list of A-listers for the filming of Global Citizen's 'VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World' in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 2, 2021, but noticeably absent from his side was his wife Meghan Markle. Prior to the event, it was announced that President Joe Biden along with first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Prince Harry and Meghan would be showing up to the star-studded night for a great cause. From host Selena Gomez to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, the Vax Live charity show hosted by Global Citizen was filmed in front of a live audience composed entirely of fully vaccinated frontline healthcare and essential workers. While it is going to be televised later on May 8, 2021, some social media users were quick to notice that despite the previous promotion Meghan seemed missing from the event.
The Duke of Sussex marked his first public appearance in the US since his late grandfather Prince Philip's funeral and since the Oprah Winfrey tell-all interview with Meghan by delivering a touching speech about the importance of vaccinations and how Covid is a crisis that people all across the world have to fight together with unity. But the question on everybody's minds seemed to be where was Meghan?
The picture of prince Harry with the words Global Citizen behind him is the most perfect description for him.#VaxLive#princeharry pic.twitter.com/iGtebd7uZy
— MeghanMarkleSupremacy #Archewell (@ArchewellBaby) May 3, 2021
RELATED ARTICLES
Harry's emotional speech
"Hi everybody. We are at a defining moment in the global fight against COVID-19," he began to the crowd of several thousands of vaccinated people. "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."
"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."
Harry continued, "We're also coming together because this pandemic cannot end unless we act collectively with an unprecedented commitment to our shared humanity." He also called for the vaccine to be distributed "to everyone everywhere," adding "we cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution to every corner of the world.
"None of us should be comfortable thinking that we could be fine when so many others are suffering," he said, adding, "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 concluded. The crowd gave Harry a standing ovation for his heartfelt address.
Where was Meghan?
Meghan has still not made a public appearance since the couple's bombshell interview with Oprah on March 7, 2021. She did not attend Prince Philip's funeral service on April 17, 2021 as well.
Harry and Meghan are serving as Campaign Chairs of VAX Live, which "aims to inspire vaccine confidence worldwide and help get the COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, everywhere" according to a statement by Global Citizen.
A post on Harry and Meghan's Archewell website had suggested the couple would "deliver an important message for vaccine equity" together during the event. But Harry happened to deliver the speech about vaccine distribution alone after Meghan, who is several months pregnant with the couple's second child, reportedly opted to stay at home states The Sun.
As campaign chairs, Harry and Meghan will be leading a drive to raise money for COVAX - a vaccine-sharing program that is being co-led by the World Health Organization. Speaking on their Archwell site, Meghan and Harry said, "We will all benefit, we will all be safer, when everyone, everywhere has equal access to the vaccine. We must pursue equitable vaccine distribution, and in that, restore faith in our common humanity. This mission couldn’t be more critical or important."
VAX Live airs on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App starting at 8 pm. ET/7 pm. CT, Fox starting at 11 pm ET/PT, and YouTube on the Global Citizen channel with an extended version on Saturday, May 8.