Prince Harry to join Gaza food aid charity founder as speakers at Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting – but things may be awkward after his former ally moved to ‘Team William’

Prince Harry has been announced among the speakers a major Clinton Foundation summit alongside a Gaza food aid charity founder who has just moved to brother William’s flagship project.

The Duke of Sussex has been named alongside World Central Kitchen leader José Andrés among those talking at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York later this month.

Oscar-winning Hollywood star Matt Damon has also been announced as one of the speakers at the gathering of political, business and philanthropic leaders.

It comes just days after Mr Andrés was revealed to be the newest member of the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize Council.

There have been suggestions that William ‘poached’ the charity partner of Harry and wife Meghan’s Archewell Foundation for his prestigious environmental awards.

Prince Harry, pictured here at the Invictus Games’ 10th Anniversary Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London this May, has been announced as a speaker at a New York summit

Also scheduled to speak at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting later this month is renowned chef and World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés

Prince William, seen today at an exhibition about homelessness at London’s Saatchi Gallery, has recently recruited the WCK founder for his environmental Earthshot Prize Council

The brothers have not spoken for the best part of two years, their rift exacerbated by Harry’s repeated public attacks on his family – especially William.

Reports have recently suggested, however, that Duke of Sussex is now keen to reconcile with his family.

Mr Andrés will join the Earthshot team of high-profile advisors and influencers, who will chose the five winners of this year’s awards designed to scale up some of the most innovative solutions to climate change. 

He has previously teamed up since 2020 with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex through his World Central Kitchen project, which provides food relief in crisis zones around the world.

WCK previously described its work with their Archewell non-profit foundation as an ‘ongoing philanthropic partnership’.

And Archewell highlighted their ‘shared mission to support ‘more compassionate, strong and healthy communities’.

The chef enjoyed such a close relationship with the Sussexes that Meghan donated her ‘signature’ recipe for lemon oil cake to Andrés’ charity cookbook early last year.

Meghan also sent a cake made with lemons from the gardens of her Montecito mansion to a WCK project in Chicago in 2021. 

In an interview the following year, the chef waxed lyrical about his ‘friends’, telling People magazine: ‘I love them.’ He added that he had personally spent time working with the couple.

Now, however, he has thrown his weight behind Prince William’s passion project, which already boasts Sir David Attenborough amongst its supporters.

Meghan Markle beamed with pride as Prince Harry collected a prestigious military honour at the ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles in July this year

Chef and WCK founder José Andrés enjoyed such a close relationship with the Sussexes that Meghan donated her ‘signature’ recipe for lemon oil cake to his charity cookbook

Prince William and Prince Harry walk beside each other after viewing the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle – the brothers have not spoken for the best part of two years

It is not clear whether he is still working with Archewell.

The chef is one of three ‘influential’ environment champions to be nominated to the Earthshot Prize Council and will join the future king and Sir David in choosing this year’s winners, who will each be awarded £1 million prize money to help expand their work.

In a statement he said: ‘I am thrilled to join the Earthshot Prize Council to help showcase the changemakers pushing the boundaries of innovation and ingenuity around the world.

‘There is so much we can do to inspire the world to see food as a powerful tool for creativity and change, and Earthshot solutions are at the forefront of this movement.’

Now comes today’s announcement of the Clinton Global Initiative speakers for the event scheduled for September 23 and 24.

Former US President Bill Clinton said this year’s annual meeting would ‘double down’ on the ‘progress’ made on the climate crisis, global health, gun violence and other significant issues.

He told the Associated Press: ‘We started CGI because we wanted to have a meeting where people didn’t just talk about big problems, but where we could roll up our sleeves and get something done.

‘It’s more important than ever to be optimistic and realize we all have the ability to make a difference.’

The Duke of Sussex plans to discuss the launch of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network, an initiative supporting parents whose children have suffered or died due to online harms.

Oscar-winning Hollywood star Matt Damon is also among the speakers announced today

Former US President Bill Clinton said this year’s annual meeting would ‘double down’ on the progress made on the climate crisis, global health, gun violence and other significant issues

Prince Harry, pictured with wife Meghan in Colombian capital Bogota next month, is expected to discuss the launch of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network, an initiative supporting parents whose children have suffered or died due to online harms.

He also plans to address his non-profit’s collaboration with the World Health Organisation and others to end violence against children, an issue he and his wife Meghan outlined on a recent trip to Colombia.

Water.org co-founder and actor Damon is expected to discuss the status of the $1billion plan he announced in 2022 to give 100million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America lasting access to water and sanitation.

Business leaders scheduled for the conference, which runs at the same time as United Nations General Assembly week, include Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, Gap CEO Richard Dickson and IKEA CEO Jesper Brodin.

Also expected there are Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach, Moderna Chairman Noubar Afeyan, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Mr Andrés is expected to discuss how he turned World Central Kitchen into one of the fastest growing humanitarian nonprofits with a focus on feeding people quickly in the aftermath of disasters or the outbreak of war.

After seven World Central Kitchen workers were killed earlier this year by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, Andrés said: ‘Their examples should inspire us to do better, to be better.’

Other philanthropic leaders set to speak include International Rescue Committee CEO and former UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband as well as World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The announcement of Harry’s attendance comes on the same day he released an emotional new video promoting next year’s Invictus Games.

The Duke of Sussex released the message on the official account for the 2025 Games to be held in Vancouver, Canada, this afternoon on X, formerly Twitter – telling viewers: ‘Sport has the ability to heal, to change lives and to save lives.

Prince Harry, Meghan and Princess Kate are pictured together at a Royal Foundation event in central London in 2017 – before a family fall-out involving Harry and brother William

Prince William, pictured with his wife Kate at the 2017 London Marathon, has his own environmental awards and has co-opted a new member of the Earthshot Prize Council

Other speakers lined up for this year’s Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting include the UK’s former Foreign Secretary David Miliband, now International Rescue Committee president

Prince Harry spoke about the ‘healing power of sport’ in a new video message released today to promote the Invictus Games scheduled for next February in Vancouver, Canada

‘For so many of these competitors, getting to the start line has been one of the hardest moments of their life.

‘But at the Games, their lives are changed. Watching these magical moments happen, and sport being the facilitator of that, is very, very special for all of us to witness.’ 

Harry is patron of the Invictus Games which he established in 2014 as an international adaptive multi-sport event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.

Both serving troops and veterans are encouraged to compete as part of their recovery journeys.