Prince Harry breaks down while talking about becoming a father with Meghan Markle: 'I never could've understood until I had a child'
Prince Harry delivered an emotional speech at the WellChild Awards ceremony on Tuesday and choked up when he spoke about becoming a father with 38-year-old wife Meghan Markle.
"It has been over a decade since I first came to these awards and every year, they never fail to surprise and inspire me. Yet this year, it resonates in a different way, because now I'm a father. Last year, when my wife and I attended, we knew we were expecting our first child — no one else did at the time, but we did," Harry said as he started to choke up with tears.
Host Gaby Roslin then patted the 35-year-old Harry on the back and the crowd applauded.
"I remember squeezing Meghan's hand so tight during the awards, both of us thinking what it would be like to be parents one day, and more so, what it would be like to do everything we could to protect and help our child should they be born with immediate challenges or become unwell over time," Harry added.
He took to the stage and recalled the time when Meghan had been pregnant with baby Archie. "Now, talking to all of you as a parent pulls at my heartstrings. In a way, I never could have understood until I had a child of my own," he shared.
"No parent wants to hear that their child will suffer, that they will face extraordinary challenges — that will affect them throughout their lives," he continued.
"After meeting all the WellChild kids and parents over the years, you have managed to give us a sense of optimism, of hope and of strength that no professional, no best selling book or advice could ever give us — so thank you for being you," he added.
Meghan then joined him on stage sporting a $1,511 camel coat by Sentaler which had been draped over her dress by P.A.R.O.S.H. This was the same dress that she had worn for her engagement announcement in 2017.
Harry also bonded with a young girl at the event over their red hair.
The royal couple met 11-year-old Milly Sutherland and her 50-year-old mother Angela. Harry and the young girl shared an adorable moment when they both said "snap" while touching their ginger locks.
Prince Harry then jokingly asked the child, "Can I borrow some?" as he touched his thinning hairline. Milly had received the Most Caring Child Award at the event for looking after her sister Sophie who had Aicardi Syndrome and had passed away last year.
She asked the new parents whether baby Archie was a redhead as well, to which Meghan responded with a resounding yes.