Prince Harry made his first official public appearance in the UK in more than a year, as he presented at the WellChild Awards – and shared his thoughts on the ‘challenge’ of siblings
The Duke of Sussex play fights using swords made from modelling balloons (Image: PA)
Prince Harry opened up about the “challenging” dynamics between siblings while speaking with seriously ill children at the 2025 WellChild Awards tonight. The Duke delighted attendees by joking around and engaging a young girl in a playful balloon sword duel during the pre-ceremony reception with award winners and their families.
The topic of sibling rivalry emerged during his chat with Declan Bitmead, 17 – the winner of the inspirational young person 15-18 years award. Harry inquired about the teenager’s family situation, asking whether he had any siblings, to which Declan responded that he had a younger brother.
“Does he drive you mad?” the duke questioned, and when Declan answered “no, we get on fine” – Harry responded with a grin “you know what – siblings”. Upon learning that the 17 year old from Oxted in Surrey attended the same school as his brother, the duke remarked “you’re at the same school, that sometimes makes it more challenging”. The news comes as Prince Harry is ‘seriously homesick’ say close friends in the UK.
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In Harry’s tell-all book Spare, he recounts being ignored by his older brother, the Prince of Wales, during his early days at Eton. Reflecting on the experience in a promotional interview, the prince revealed: “At the time it hurt. I couldn’t make sense of it.”
The Duke of Sussex speaks at the annual WellChild Awards 2025(Image: PA)
During his address, Harry expressed that attending the WellChild Awards is “a highlight of my year” as he celebrated the 20th anniversary of the ceremony in London.
The gathering, designed to honor and acknowledge youngsters displaying extraordinary courage and strength in the face of serious health challenges, along with the dedicated professionals who exceed expectations in their care, wraps up Harry’s opening day back on British territory, reports the Express.
He touched down at Heathrow Airport on Monday morning before making his way to Windsor to offer personal tribute at his grandmother’s final resting place, the late Queen Elizabeth, marking the third anniversary of her passing.
The Duke’s previous UK visit occurred in May when he suffered defeat in a prolonged court battle with the Home Office regarding his protection detail.
He’s remaining for four days to undertake multiple public appearances, alongside private discussions with the charitable organizations and patronages he continues to support, even though he’s no longer an active working member of the Royal family. Whether he’ll encounter the King, who’s presently at Balmoral, remains uncertain during his visit.
Harry appeared at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, which faces Hyde Park and sits under two miles from Buckingham Palace, sporting a radiant grin as he begins his inaugural official commitment of his four-day British visit.
Prince Harry discusses siblings with Declan Bitmead (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
He dedicated approximately six hours to the WellChild gathering, connecting with each recipient and their relatives during a pre-event reception before handing out one of the honors and giving a keynote address.
Harry, who has served as WellChild’s patron since 2007, praised the “courage, resilience of the seriously ill children and the “extraordinary love of the families and carers who never stop showing up”.
Reflecting on his first experience at the WellChild awards 18 years ago, Prince Harry shared: “I walked into the room, and within about three minutes I realized two things: the love and energy in the room was palpable, so too was the unpredictability!
“And second, that I was completely hooked on it all. This night has been a highlight of my year ever since and it’s all because of you guys – these children, this cause, and our Wellchild community.
Prince Harry spoke about the first time he attended the WellChild Awards(Image: PA)
He praised the “real impact” of the charity, highlighting that 311 brave children have been honored since its inception and 53 WellChild nurses are making “an enormous difference” to families.
Wrapping up his speech, Harry urged: “More than ever, WellChild’s mission must be our shared priority. Tonight, I’d ask each of you to think about how you can play your part, whether through support, awareness, or action, to help advance this crucial work.