Proud wife alert! Pregnant Meghan gazes adoringly at Harry as she makes a surprise appearance with her husband on stage after his speech at an event celebrating young people
By
STEPHANIE LINNING FOR MAILONLINE
Updated: 21:49 06 Mar 2019
Duchess of Sussex, 37, made a surprise appearance at an event celebrating young people in London today
Pregnant Meghan joined husband Harry on stage after he delivered a speech at the SSE Arena in Wembley
The mother-to-be was the picture of pride and gazed adoringly at her husband and joined in the applause
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are just weeks away from welcoming their first child together
The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at an event celebrating young people today.
Pregnant Meghan, 37, joined Prince Harry, 34, on stage after he delivered an empowering speech to thousands of screaming youngsters at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London.
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After calling on young people to engage in social and environmental causes, Prince Harry said: 'I'm now going to try and drag my wife on stage,' prompting deafening cheers from the audience.
He walked over to the side of the stage and led Meghan by the hand into the spotlight, where they hugged and stood with their arms around each other as Harry told the crowd: 'I am with you, and we are with you'.
Mother-to-be Meghan, who is due in the coming weeks, gazed lovingly at her husband during the brief appearance before they walked off stage hand-in-hand. She was polished in a navy blazer, black skinny jeans and a black top for the occasion.
The star-studded event, attended by celebrities including Naomi Campbell and Nicole Scherzinger, was held to mark WE Day UK, part of a global initiative to encourage young people to take part in positive social change.
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The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at an event celebrating young people in London today, picturedMeghan, 37, was the picture of pride as she put an arm around her husband and gazed at him adoringly in front of the crowdThe Duchess of Sussex beamed as she joined Harry on stage and placed a hand affectionately on her blooming baby bump Keen for Harry to soak up the fanfare, Meghan stood back and gestured to her husband to encourage more applause After calling on young people to engage in social and environmental causes, Prince Harry said: 'I'm now going to drag my wife on stage,' prompting screams of delight from the audience. He later went and led Meghan by the hand into the spotlightThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex giggled and joked, left and right, as they made their way back onto the stage togetherThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex applauded the screaming crowd who were sent into a frenzy when Meghan appeared
The Duke of Sussex was announced as a speaker at the event today but his wife was not expected to attend.
During the speech, Prince Harry praised young people for 'fighting the good fight' and encouraged them to remain engaged and interested in causes that matter.
He said: 'To be amongst all of you progressive, motivated, open minded, change-makers, is what gives me hope for the future.'
At one point, when an overcome fan shouted 'I love you, Harry', he responded: 'I love you too'.
He also referenced Meghan, saying: 'As my wife often reminds me with one of her favourite quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. - "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that".' The mere mention of her name sent the crowd into a frenzy.
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Prince Harry, pictured, encouraged listeners to 'fight the good fight' and continue to engage in important social causesBefore delivering the final lines of his speech, Prince Harry walked off stage (pictured) to retrieve Meghan from her seatThe Duchess of Sussex waved shyly as she walked out onto the stage at the SSE Arena, led by her husband Prince HarryPrince Harry smiled happily as he collected his wife from the side of the stage and led her in front of the crowd, picturedHarry walked over to Meghan and led her onto the stage, where they hugged and stood with their arms around each otherOnce Meghan had joined him on stage Harry delivered the final words of his speech: 'I am with you, and we are with you'The Duchess of Sussex looked adoringly at her husband on the stage, left, and put an affectionate hand on his arm, rightThe Duchess of Sussex was on hand to support her husband as he delivered the speech from the stage of the SSE ArenaThe screams were almost deafening when Harry announced Meghan would join him on stage at the SSE Arena
The screams reached fever pitch when Harry paused before the last few lines of his address to reveal he would 'try and drag' his wife on stage.
The Duchess looked perfectly polished for the occasion, pairing a navy blazer with a black top, black skinny jeans and a pair of black suede pumps. She finished the look with delicate Pippa Small jewellery.
Beaming at supporters, Meghan put an arm around her husband and leaned into his chest as they stood side by side on stage.
Keen for Harry to take his moment in the spotlight, supportive Meghan stood back and gestured to her husband to encourage more applause.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in excellent spirits during their unannounced joint appearance on WednesdayThe Duchess accessorised her outfit with delicate jewellery by favourite label Pippa Small, picturedYoung people attended the event were thrilled to hear from Prince Harry - and were more excited to see his wife on stageThe Duchess of Sussex affectionately put her arm around her husband's back as they waited for the applause to calmActivists Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger joined the Duke and Duchess on stage to thank them for their support
The Duchess is just weeks away from welcoming her first child but has maintained a busy schedule of royal engagements, including a whirlwind royal tour of Morocco late last month.
Yesterday she joined Prince Harry, the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other senior royals at a Buckingham Palace event commemorative the 50th anniversary of Charles' investiture as the Prince of Wales.
WE Day is an unparalleled celebration of young people committed to making a difference.
It’s where young people from across the UK prove that when they harness their belief, their passion and their energy in making a lasting impact, they are an unstoppable force for good.
It’s an extraordinary community of change-makers that are raising the bar and setting a new standard for what it means to create positive, lasting change on both the local and global levels.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex applauded the audience for their commitment to social and environmental causesHarry and Meghan put on a typically affectionate display as they made the appearance at the WE Day event in London The royals were thanked by activists Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger for their role before leaving the stageMeghan, right with a hand on her blooming baby bump, waved to the crowd as they walked off the stage, leftThe couple received even more applause as they left the stage, pictured, following Meghan's unannounced appearanceThe Duchess of Sussex smiled and placed a hand on Prince Harry's arm, pictured, before leaving the stageFollowing Meghan's brief appearance, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the stage hand-in-hand, picturedThe Duchess' top hugged her blooming baby bump. She teamed the wardrobe basic with black skinny jeans and heels
Prince Harry's empowering speech in full
Hello We Day!
It’s a great privilege to be back in this exciting, buzzing space, this time as President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust; a platform we created for YOU where your ideas and creativity will be taken seriously – because it’s YOU that are making the most impact in your communities.
I am proud to stand before you and see you just as enthusiastic as I remembered.
With all of that activism, some might think you’d be exhausted – but look at you, (and listen to you) - you know the secret!
That in giving back, in fighting the good fight, it doesn’t exhaust you, it energizes you.
To be amongst all of you progressive, motivated, open minded, change-makers, is what gives me hope for the future.
Your optimism is inspiring - you see opportunities where other people see challenges; you seek solutions when others just focus on problems.
You are the most engaged generation in history. You care about values, doing the right thing, and championing the causes that will shape your future.
You don’t judge someone based on how they look, where they’re from, or how they identify.
In this room, you see the world for what it is - vibrant, colourful, mixed and full of promise.
That is who you are, and that is what makes me feel proud to stand in your presence as you tackle the world’s greatest issues. And you guys know as well as I do, we’ve still got so much to do.
As far as I see it, there are two absolutely crucial issues that we need to focus on, and my hope is that a 1000 more issues will be cured in the process.
First, let’s take OUR mental health; which you’ve embraced whole heartedly, breaking the generational stigma and helping to normalise the conversation.
After all, mental illness is about recovery, mental health is about consciousness, mental fitness is about well-being.
To be happy is to be mindful, mindful of your feelings, mindful of your surroundings, and mindful of the 7.7 billion other humans that inhabit this planet.
And while we’re on the topic of health, let’s talk about the health of our planet too.
Climate change, is a humanitarian issue not a political one, and one where we’ve been far too slow in waking up to the issues and acting on the damaging impact our ways of living are having on the world.
We now have the facts, the science, the technology and the ability to save not just our planet, but ourselves.
I know you don’t sit back and wait for solutions, you take action and create them.
Our world’s greatest assets are threatened every day and it is SO important that we support local communities to safeguard every element of this incredible world.
Every forest, every river, every ocean, every coastline, every insect, every wild animal. Every blade of grass, every ray of sun and every rain drop is crucial to our survival.
It is all connected, we are all inter-connected. You in this room understand that and are already making this a safer, healthier and more resilient home for all of us and for generations to come.
And for that I applaud you.
If we look at the world we’re living in, I know it can feel challenging sometimes, but your role is to shine the light.
Every day you are inundated with an overexposure of advertising and mainstream media, social media and endless comparisons, distorting the truth, and trying to manipulate the power of positive thinking. But you don’t let them sway you.
Because you don’t need to hide behind your device to share your voice. You confidently voice your opinions because you can embrace them proudly.
As my wife often reminds me with one of her favourite quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. - 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.'
You aren’t always going to agree, you may find yourselves frustrated with the older generation when it seems like they don’t care.
But try to remove that judgment.
Try to remember that not everyone sees the world the way you do, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care.
It means you have the incredible opportunity to help reshape mindsets, to empower those around you to think outside the box, and to work with you, not against you, to find solutions.
You know that if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.
So let that be your true north, let that be your call to action - to inspire those who stand for nothing, to stand for something -and to stand WITH you.
So what’s next, what’s on your to-do list starting now...
Be braver
Be stronger
Be kind to each other
Be kind to yourselves
Have less screen time, and more face to face time
Exceed expectations
Eliminate plastics
Conserve water
Protect wildlife and their unique habitat
Keep empathy alive
Ask your friends how they are doing and listen to the answer
The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at an event celebrating young people in London today, pictured
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Meghan, 37, was the picture of pride as she put an arm around her husband and gazed at him adoringly in front of the crowd
3 / 29
The Duchess of Sussex beamed as she joined Harry on stage and placed a hand affectionately on her blooming baby bump
4 / 29
Keen for Harry to soak up the fanfare, Meghan stood back and gestured to her husband to encourage more applause
5 / 29
After calling on young people to engage in social and environmental causes, Prince Harry said: 'I'm now going to drag my wife on stage,' prompting screams of delight from the audience. He later went and led Meghan by the hand into the spotlight
6 / 29
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex giggled and joked, left and right, as they made their way back onto the stage together
7 / 29
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex applauded the screaming crowd who were sent into a frenzy when Meghan appeared
8 / 29
Prince Harry, pictured, encouraged listeners to 'fight the good fight' and continue to engage in important social causes
9 / 29
Before delivering the final lines of his speech, Prince Harry walked off stage (pictured) to retrieve Meghan from her seat
10 / 29
The Duchess of Sussex waved shyly as she walked out onto the stage at the SSE Arena, led by her husband Prince Harry
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Prince Harry smiled happily as he collected his wife from the side of the stage and led her in front of the crowd, pictured
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Harry walked over to Meghan and led her onto the stage, where they hugged and stood with their arms around each other
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Once Meghan had joined him on stage Harry delivered the final words of his speech: 'I am with you, and we are with you'
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The Duchess of Sussex looked adoringly at her husband on the stage, left, and put an affectionate hand on his arm, right
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The Duchess of Sussex was on hand to support her husband as he delivered the speech from the stage of the SSE Arena
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The screams were almost deafening when Harry announced Meghan would join him on stage at the SSE Arena
17 / 29
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in excellent spirits during their unannounced joint appearance on Wednesday
18 / 29
The Duchess accessorised her outfit with delicate jewellery by favourite label Pippa Small, pictured
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Young people attended the event were thrilled to hear from Prince Harry - and were more excited to see his wife on stage
20 / 29
The Duchess of Sussex affectionately put her arm around her husband's back as they waited for the applause to calm
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Activists Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger joined the Duke and Duchess on stage to thank them for their support
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex applauded the audience for their commitment to social and environmental causes
23 / 29
Harry and Meghan put on a typically affectionate display as they made the appearance at the WE Day event in London
24 / 29
The royals were thanked by activists Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger for their role before leaving the stage
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Meghan, right with a hand on her blooming baby bump, waved to the crowd as they walked off the stage, left
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The couple received even more applause as they left the stage, pictured, following Meghan's unannounced appearance
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The Duchess of Sussex smiled and placed a hand on Prince Harry's arm, pictured, before leaving the stage
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Following Meghan's brief appearance, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the stage hand-in-hand, pictured
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The Duchess' top hugged her blooming baby bump. She teamed the wardrobe basic with black skinny jeans and heels
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Meghan Markle makes a surprise appearance at WE Day event in London
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