Prince Harry unexpectedly popped up in New York City this week, making a surprise visit to further his mental health advocacy work.
The Duke of Sussex, who took the trip with his wife, Meghan Markle, arrived in town to accept the Humanitarians of the Year Award at Project Healthy Minds’ annual gala on Thursday.
The day before, the royal couple made an unannounced appearance at an event hosted by the Movember organization as it launched its Institute of Men’s Health.
While speaking about his own mental health journey, Prince Harry opened up about why he advocates for men to seek therapy.
“I found myself speaking to many veterans and sitting down with them I realized the silence is killing people,” he said. “Stamping out the stigma globally, we’ve come a long way. [But] access to therapy is still a massive problem.”
Moderated by journalist Brooke Baldwin, the discussion explored Prince Harry’s experience as a British Army veteran and what inspired him to speak out on the topic.
“When I speak to men, the same struggles keep coming up, which tells me that the weight they carry isn’t uncommon,” he said. “The biggest barrier is the belief that no one will understand. Loneliness convinces you you’re the only one, which is rarely true.”
Harry and Meghan have focused much of their humanitarian work on mental health through the Archewell Foundation they founded in 2020.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also started a program called The Parents’ Network, which was unveiled in NYC during Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival in 2023.
The latest visit brings the Duke and Duchess back to New York City for the first time since the pair attended the 2025 TIME100 Summit in April.
