We stand with India: Prince Harry

‘Vaccines should be given to everyone, everywhere’, he said

Prince Harry has expressed solidarity with India battling a vicious second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and stressed that vaccines “must be distributed to everyone everywhere."

During an appearance on Global Citizen's VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, he stressed that “access to the vaccine cannot be determined by geography.”

Harry and his wife Meghan Markle serve as campaign chairs of Vax Live, which “aims to inspire vaccine confidence worldwide and help get the COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, everywhere,” as per a Global Citizens statement.

Stressing that the pandemic “cannot end unless we act collectively with an unprecedented commitment to our shared humanity,” he also underlined that we cannot rest or truly recover until fair distribution of the vaccines is assured in every corner of the world. “The virus does not respect borders and (the vaccine) must be accepted as a basic right for all; and that is our starting point,” the prince stressed.

“We must look beyond ourselves with empathy and compassion for those we know, and those we don’t. We need to lift up all of humanity and make sure that no person or community is left behind,” Harry said, adding, “What we do in this moment will stand in history and tonight, we stand in solidarity with the millions of families across India who are battling a devastating second wave.”

During his passionate speech, the Duke of Sussex thanked frontline workers who had courageously and selflessly worked to protect people, putting themselves in harm's way to do so. “We owe you an incredible debt of gratitude. Thank you,” he said.

"Access to the vaccine cannot be determined by geography...We stand in solidarity with the millions of families across India..."

-Prince Harry