Prince Harry, J-Lo lead ‘Vax Live’ concert in LA
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Britain’s Prince Harry joined pop royalty, including Jennifer Lopez, at a starstudded concert in Los Angeles last Sunday to urge faster and more even global vaccinations, as he voiced support for India during its devastating COVID-19 outbreak.
“Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World” featured video messages from Pope Francis and US President Joe Biden and in-person appearances from Hollywood stars such as Ben Affleck and Sean Penn.
The show will air on television and YouTube on May 8, after being pre-taped in front of thousands of fully vaccinated spectators at a vast California stadium last Sunday.
“Tonight, we stand in solidarity with the millions of families across India, who are battling a devastating second wave,” said Prince Harry, who was greeted with a standing ovation.
“The virus does not respect borders, and access to the vaccine cannot be determined by geography,” added Harry, making his first in-person appearance at a major public event in California since moving last year to the US with wife Meghan Markle, who did not appear.
A glittering J-Lo told fans she had been forced to spend Christmas without her mother for the first time due to the pandemic – before bringing the Lopez matriarch onto an elaborate meadow-themed stage for a feel-good singalong of “Sweet Caroline.”
The concert organized by Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization, aims to battle vaccine disinformation while calling on world leaders and corporations to take action and make donations.