Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recognized on Saturday for their distinguished public service and philanthropic contributions, accepting the President’s Award at the NAACP Image Awards.
The royal couple made an in-person appearance at the awards ceremony to accept the honor, which in the past has gone to notable Black public figures such as Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, LeBron James, and Rihanna. Meghan and Harry were given the award in celebration of the work they’ve done over the last two years through their Archewell Foundation, including focusing on global vaccine equity, women’s equality, and the Black Lives Matter movement. The Duchess also brought her mother, Doria Ragland, to the awards show.
During their acceptance speech, Meghan said: “It’s inspiring to think about the legacy of the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law. Today, we can continue that legacy by re-establishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants, like the late John Lewis. We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees.”
Harry then took a moment to speak on the situation in Ukraine. “Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community,” he said. “I also echo the immense gratitude for…
