Prince Harry has completed two engagements over the last day during his first trip back to the US.
The Duke of Sussex, 42, packed his stateside schedule with a string of speaking appearances, touching down in Manhattan for events spanning conservation, youth empowerment, and the perils of modern technology and artificial intelligence.
The trip kicked off with the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting – which went viral for all the wrong reasons – before Harry appeared at the Skift Global Forum, striking a particularly personal note when he spoke of the late Princess Diana.
Harry spoke of how he began exploring the world following the death of his mother, and how those journeys – particularly to Africa – shaped his understanding of conservation and interconnected communities.
He reflected movingly on his bond with Botswana, a country he first visited shortly after losing his mother.
Later on Wednesday, the Duke attended the National Geographic & De Beers Okavango Eternal event, held at the Jardin de Sur Madison.
Prince Harry has completed two quiet engagements over the last day during his first time returning to the US since the Sussexes’ relocation to Britain
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GETTYHe was joined on stage by Botswana’s President Duma Boko and Dr Steve Boyes, a National Geographic explorer who authored Okavango & the Source of Life.
President Boko offered warm praise for the prince’s contributions to the country, describing him as “a regular, almost a citizen of Botswana, particularly the Okavango Delta.”
“We appreciate the work that you do,” the president added.
Harry said: “I’ve continued to understand the Okavango not simply as an extraordinary place to visit, but as a living system that sustains wildlife, communities and livelihoods.”
Harry’s return to the US began with a problematic speech at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, hosted by Bill and Hillary Clinton
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GETTY“These places are not simply somewhere to travel to. They are home.”
On Thursday, the prince turned his attention to an event organised by the Diana Award, the charity established in his late mother’s memory to empower young people.
According to an attendee, Harry addressed the crowd on “the importance of supporting youth and young adults in the workplace, especially with regard to their mental health.”
Harry’s return to the US began with a speech at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, hosted by Bill and Hillary Clinton.
The Duke of Sussex was delivering a keynote address at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual gathering when an error with the teleprompter occurred, awkwardly forcing him off the stage within just minutes.
Videos circulating online show the prince coming to an abrupt stop and declaring: “And that’s it,” before placing his microphone down and leaving the stage, seemingly without an explanation.
Some 40 minutes later, however, the duke returned, quipping: “Hello again. So AI got into my speech, so I was asked to come out and finish it.
“Interesting to see what it was so concerned about in part two.”
While the teleprompter was working, the prince demanded world leaders, technologists and policymakers act with greater urgency before a new wave of AI-driven harm reaches children.
“Innovation has never required us to gamble with our children’s lives,” he said. “We should not accept that bargain now. This time, let’s move first.”
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