People: Prince Harry, Meghan offer thanks.
LOS ANGELES >> Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, on Tuesday thanked essential workers and offered encouragement to people who suffered during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in their first podcast released on Spotify.
Harry and Meghan, known officially as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, hosted the episode and introduced reflections and hopes for the new year from singer Elton John, producer and actor Tyler Perry, tennis champion Naomi Osaka and other celebrities.
During the episode, the couple thanked health care and front-line workers and others who made sacrifices during a challenging year.
“From us, I’ll say no matter what life throws at you guys, trust us when we say, love wins,” Meghan said.
“Love always wins,” Harry added.
The episode ended with a surprise appearance by the couple’s 19-month-old son, Archie. With guidance from his parents, Archie said: “Happy ... New ... Year!”
Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties in January and moved with Archie to Southern California to live a more independent life and escape the hostile British media. The pair made no mention of their move in the podcast.
The couple signed a production deal for TV programming with Netflix, followed by a multiyear agreement to produce and host podcasts for Spotify.
In addition, they announced last week that their new charity has partnered with the World Central Kitchen and its celebrity chef Jose Andres to feed the hungry in disaster-stricken areas around the world.
The couple’s nonprofit group, the Archewell Foundation, is teaming up with Andres to build a series of Relief Centers.
The centers will be permanent structures that can be opened quickly as service kitchens during emergencies such as natural disasters, and also serve as food distribution hubs, schools and medical clinics.
“The health of our communities depends on our ability to connect with our shared humanity,” said the pair. “When we think about Chef Andres and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we’re reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing and working tirelessly to support each other.”