The Duke of Sussex made a public appearance in Santa Barbara just days before his return to the UK.
Prince Harry, 41, paid a visit to local Santa Barbara fire stations alongside Watch Duty co-founder and CEO, John Mills, with firefighters sharing the realities behind tackling emergencies.
Dressed casually in a padded jacket and jeans, the Duke was pictured chatting to the responders and viewing brush trucks and rescue ATVs, as well as thermal search-and-rescue drones.
Watch Duty, which is a real-time wildfire tracking and alert platform, has partnered with Harry and Meghan’s charitable organisation, Archewell Philanthropies, to support firefighters on the front lines.
Harry’s outing comes a year after the southern Californian wildfires destroyed more than 18,000 homes and burned over 57,529 acres, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate their homes.
At the time of the major incident, the Sussexes, who reside in Montecito, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles, visited a meal distribution site at the Pasadena Community Centre. The couple also donated clothing, children’s items, and other essential supplies to those affected by the fires.
© GettyHarry with the mayor of Pasadena Victor Gordon visiting the Altadena community affected by the fires in January 2025
Harry also visited the Salinas Fire Department, where he met with some of their therapy dogs. A few months later, he paid tribute to emergency responders in his speech at the Living Legends of Aviation event, saying: “We saw courage. We saw commitment. And we saw an extraordinary group of men and women take to the skies, also risking their lives to protect people they would never meet. Tonight, we thank and honour members of our community, especially aerial firefighters and the supporting ground teams.”
High court appearance
The Duke’s latest outing comes just days before he is expected to fly from California to London for his High Court trial against the publisher of The Daily Mail.
© GettyHarry is expected to give evidence in court during the ANL trial
Harry and a group of six others are bringing the claim at the London court, alleging that Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) carried out or commissioned unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blagging” private records and accessing private phone conversations. ANL vehemently deny the allegations.
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The claimants include Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actresses Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley.
Harry is expected to give evidence lasting a full day next Thursday, according to a draft trial timetable seen by The Press Association.
He is not expected to meet with members of the royal family during his visit, with the King currently on his winter break in Scotland.