Prince Harry attended the poignant WellChild Awards in London tonight where he met inspirational children being recognised by the charity – and while meeting one little boy, he revealed a sweet detail about daughter Princess Lilibet
Prince Harry shared a rare detail about daughter Princess Lilibet during his long-awaited return trip to the UK – where he was upstaged by a boisterious little boy.
However, he was upstaged by a youngster who threw his toys away during an awards night and laughed as Harry picked them up. The duke met seven-year-old Noah Nicholson – who has complex medical conditions. Noah has cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease and other serious health issues, but his mother, Tracey Nicholson, 42, from Grimsby, said he remains happy and positive and lives life to the full. The little boy brought his prized comfort toys – George the cat and Ratty the Giraffe in the shape of a blanket – and delighted in throwing them on to the floor. When Ms Nicholson apologised for her son’s antics, Harry, who is WellChild’s patron, replied: “Don’t apologise, I love it.”
Harry recognised Ratty the Giraffe and called the blanket comforter ‘lovey’, a name used in American, and said: “Every parent has about six spare”. And he also revealed that his daughter three-year-old Lilibet is a fan of the toys and said: “My daughter Lili has these Lovies.” At one point Noah, who has brain damage and won the most Inspirational Child aged four to six, grabbed Harry’s beard and made him grin.
Noah’s mother said afterwards: “He’s in constant pain but is always happy and smiley. He’s just a very excitable boy and when he’s around people he just loves it. Nothing ever gets him down, he never cries unless the pain gets the better of him. He’s seriously ill fighting for his life so much, but he’s so happy.”
As WellChild’s patron for more than 15 years, Harry has regularly attended the awards ceremony staged by the organisation, the national charity for seriously ill children and their families. After meeting the award winners and presenting them with their prizes, Harry later gave a speech where he hailed those honoured as “little legends” and talked about the rollercoaster of parenting.
He said: “The WellChild Awards is an event that never fails to inspire me. The stories of young people who battle against the odds, living lives filled with medical procedures, hospital stays, and endless appointments, remind us all of the strength of the human spirit.
“For many of us, it is a daily life we can hardly imagine, and yet somehow, the young people I meet are always smiling and every room they walk into seemingly lights up with warmth and positivity. So keep being you. You’ve got this. And we’ve got you.
“As a parent, I know a little about the emotional rollercoaster of parenting! But, when I hear about the care many of you mums, dads, and family members provide; the level of round-the-clock care you offer; the skills you’ve had to learn; and the battles for support that you fight every single day—I am truly in awe.
“You are all incredible, and your love and dedication are nothing short of heroic. And so it rests with me to remind you, that tonight is your night too. So much is asked of you so please take this moment to pause and be proud. To reflect and to be kind to yourselves.”
Harry’s visit to his homeland will no doubt raise speculation about whether he and his estranged brother the Prince of Wales will actually see one another, or if he will travel to Scotland to visit his father, the King. A brotherly reunion does appear somewhat unlikely as they did not talk to one another when both attended a family funeral back in August.
Charles is understood to be spending some time at Balmoral and has not seen Harry since his youngest son rushed home to be at his side following his cancer diagnosis back in February.
