After two days visiting humanitarian organizations in Jordan, Prince Harry is urging the rest of the world to follow the country’s lead.
“The world should be incredibly grateful for what Jordan is doing and the moral leadership it’s showing for the world right now,” Harry, 41, told Channel 4 News on Friday, Feb. 27.
Harry and wife Meghan Markle spent Wednesday and Thursday touring treatment centers, aid organizations and a refugee camp in and around Amman. Their trip, which was in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), focused on humanitarian efforts and mental health support for vulnerable communities affected by conflict and displacement.
Before the interview began, the Channel 4 correspondent acknowledged the ongoing scandal surrounding Harry’s family in the U.K., noting that the Duke of Sussex did not wish to address the news surrounding his uncle ex-Prince Andrew, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on Feb. 19.
‘I understand you don’t wish to talk about your family, your uncle, things back in London you’re here because you don’t want to distract from the work you’re doing on the WHO and on Gaza,” the interviewer said. “Firstly why are you here in Jordan? Why is it so important to you?”
Harry ignored the mention of his uncle and wider family, choosing instead to focus on the purpose of the trip.
“I think, having spoken to Dr. Tedros [WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus] for many months now — well, years — but specifically months in the lead-up to this trip, it was really important for us to highlight the incredible work that Jordan does for this region,” he said.
“The work’s been going on for decades, but moreso recently, it’s been a humanitarian hub for the Middle East, especially with everything that’s going on in Gaza, and also Syria, as well,” he continued.
At Specialty Hospital in Amman, they spent time with medical evacuees from Gaza, who are being brought into the country constantly as the years-long conflict continues.
Harry spoke about how the world can sometimes forget about the violence in that region, when it “drops out” of the breakneck news cycle. But in Jordan, it’s impossible to ignore.
“It was a really important time for us to collaborate and come here and shine a light and focus on the very real humanitarian catastrophe that has happened and continues,” he said, praising “the incredible work that Jordan does for this region.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also spent time at the Amman office of World Central Kitchen, which was founded by chef José Andrés and was the first philanthropic partner of the couple’s charitable organization, Archewell Philanthropies.
There, they spoke with volunteers about the difficulties they are currently facing trying to get food and aid to needy communities in Gaza.
“The aid corridors need to be opened and they are currently not,” Harry said, adding that there is a need for “full access for humanitarian organisations to be able to deliver that aid to the people that need it the most.”
Through their organization, Archewell Philanthropies, Meghan and Harry have previously helped to fund medical evacuations for children affected by the conflict in Gaza, as well as relief efforts for children and families affected by the Oct. 7 attack in Israel. They’ve also previously worked with the WHO and its Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on efforts to promote global vaccine equity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meghan and Harry’s Jordan trip was a last-minute announcement, with details being shared just hours before their arrival. A source told PEOPLE at the time of the announcement that the couple “are pro-family and pro-children, and their philanthropic work reflects this value and deep-rooted care for humanity.”
Though they no longer represent the royal family on official visits, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have continued their humanitarian work with similar visits to Nigeria in May 2024 and Colombia in August 2024.
