It's been almost six years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met, reportedly first connecting in July 2016. Since then, we've watched the pair's relationship develop - from their 2018 wedding, to the arrival of their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Now, the Duke of Sussex has said that he and the Duchess were "brought together for a reason," in a heartfelt new speech.
Appearing at the NAACP Awards on Saturday night [26th February], Harry and Meghan took to the stage to claim the prestigious President's Awards, marking their achievement for "distinguished public service".
Harry began his acceptance speech with a poignant message, telling the audience, "Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community."
He went on, "I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and this community for welcoming me so warmly."
Going on to comment on his relationship with Meghan, Harry reflected, "I think it's safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason."
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He added, "We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to."
Meghan then took to the microphone to share an important message, referencing George Floyd's murder in May 2020.
"And I couldn’t be prouder that we’re doing this work together," she said in response to Harry's words. "We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds."
Meghan went on, "In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organisation, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress."
She added, "This is the era of the digital justice movement. We are proud to partner with [the] NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of us. Thank you so much for joining us in this work, and thank you again for this incredible honour. Truly."
Emily Gulla was Cosmopolitan UK’s Former Editorial Assistant/Junior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer, covering celebs, TV and film for the site, magazine and video. She’s interviewed the casts of your favourite TV shows, from Bridgerton to Derry Girls and Stranger Things, as well as dozens of Love Islanders. She also loves getting stuck into long-read features, writing on all things digital culture (including her favourite topic: memes), and dating - having appeared on the radio to discuss dating.
Emily's work has also been published on ELLE, Women's Health, Harper's Bazaar, Digital Spy and more. She holds a First Class degree in English with Film Studies from King's College London, and even wrote her dissertation on Love Island. You can find Emily on Instagram and LinkedIn, and can see more of her work on her website.
