00:04Good evening everyone and thank you very much for being here for Centre Bali, a charity that
00:10myself and Prince Esso created all the way back in 2006 to honour our mother's legacy in supporting
00:17those affected by HIV and AIDS. Before I begin I must say that I can only imagine what you may
00:24have heard or perhaps read over the past few weeks. So I want you to hear the truth from me
00:32as much as I
00:33can share, not as a prince or a duke but as Harry, the same person that many of you have
00:39watched grow
00:40up over the last 35 years but now with a clearer perspective. The UK is my home and a place
00:48that I
00:48love. That will never change. I've grown up feeling supported from so many of you and I watched as you
00:57welcomed Megan with open arms as you saw me find the love and happiness that I'd hoped for all my
01:04life. Finally the second son of Diana got hitched. Hooray. I also know that you've come to know me
01:15well enough over all these years to trust that the woman I chose as my wife upholds the same values
01:22as I do and she does and she's the same woman I fell in love with. We both do everything
01:29we can to
01:30fly the flag and carry out our roles for this country with pride. Once Megan and I were married
01:37we were excited, we were hopeful and we were here to serve. For those reasons it brings me great
01:44sadness that it has come to this. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step
01:51back
01:52is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges and
01:59I know
01:59I haven't always gotten it right but as far as this goes there really was no other option. What I
02:06want
02:06to make clear is we're not walking away and we certainly aren't walking away from you. Our hope was to
02:14continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations but without public funding.
02:20Unfortunately that wasn't possible. I've accepted this knowing that it doesn't change who I am or how
02:27committed I am but I hope that helps you understand what it had come to. That I would step my
02:34family back
02:35from all I have ever known to take us to take a step forward into what I hope can be
02:40a more peaceful life.
02:42I was born into this life and it is a great honour to serve my country and the Queen.
02:49When I lost my mum 23 years ago you took me under your wing. You looked out for me for
02:54so long but the media is a powerful force and my hope is one day our collective support for each
03:01other can be more powerful because this is so much bigger than just us.
03:07It has been our privilege to serve you and we will continue to lead a life of service so in
03:13that respect nothing changes.
03:15It has also been a privilege to meet so many of you and to feel your excitement for our son
03:21Archie who saw snow for the first time the other day and thought it was bloody brilliant.
03:29I will always have the utmost respect for my grandmother, my commander in chief and I am incredibly grateful to
03:35her and the rest of my family for the support they have shown Megan and I over the last few
03:40months.
03:41I will continue to be the same man who holds his country dear and dedicates his life to supporting the
03:47causes, charities and military communities that are so important to me.
03:53Together, you have given me an education about living and this role has taught me more about what is right
03:58and just than I could ever have imagined.
04:01We are taking a leap of faith so thank you for giving me the courage to take this next step.
04:12So...
04:21So, welcome to Richard's garden minus the fountain.
04:26First, may I echo Johnny's words earlier and thank in particular Patricia and Richard and all the teams involved in
04:33making tonight so very special and such a success, at least so far.
04:38And thank you also for turning up.
04:41I'm sure Lewis was the draw factor, but I know you will all be leaving tonight with a better understanding
04:46of what we're trying to achieve at Centre Bali and that's what really matters to us.
04:51I first visited Lesotho many years ago, back in 2004, and was shown around by my dear friend Princeso, who
04:59sadly can't join us this evening.
05:02Struck by the hardship and challenges so many children faced, and with the support of local partners, we set up
05:08Centre Bali two years later.
05:11The word Centre Bali means forget me not, in Susutu, and also serves as a memory of both Princeso's mother
05:17as well as my own.
05:20Since the beginning, we've developed a series of programmes and created the purpose-built Mamahato Centre to help a generation
05:26of children break through the stigma that is allowing the HIV epidemic to thrive.
05:32Half of those children had lost either one or both of their parents to the virus.
05:39But today, through our networks of clubs, camps and programmes across both Lesotho and Botswana, we help children and young
05:46adults to learn that they can go on to live happy and productive lives despite being HIV positive.
05:52We teach them that this human immunodeficiency virus doesn't have to be a death sentence for anyone anymore.
05:58And that the real enemy we are fighting is stigma and the antiquated attitudes that work against young people coming
06:05forward when wanting to take an HIV test.
06:09This is relevant in every part of the world today, including here in the UK, where there are an estimated
06:15110,000 people living with HIV.
06:19Here, I can't not mention my dear friend Gareth Thomas, who in my mind has quite literally changed the way
06:25people think about HIV.
06:27So, thank you, bud.
06:36By being here tonight, every one of you are helping to fight that stigma and helping a generation of children
06:43and young adults to becoming the generation that ends it.
06:47My work and commitment for this charity that I founded 14 years ago will never falter.
06:53And I and all those at Centre Bali, be it here in London, Lesotho or Botswana, will continue the work
07:00to make real, long-lasting impact for all those that have been left vulnerable.
07:06There's a lot to do, but it's only possible by working together and receiving support from people like yourselves and
07:13like Lewis Capaldi, who has generously flown here directly from Malaysia via Dubai, taking tonight out as a detour on
07:23its way to the Grammys in Los Angeles, where he is nominated for best song.
07:28Lewis, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be with us this evening.
07:34We are all incredibly grateful.
07:36Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lewis Capaldi.
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