Princes William and Harry Write to 2026 Diana Award Winners

Prince William and Prince Harry have each sent a separate congratulatory letter to the young people honoured with the 2026 Diana Award. The recognition was marked at a virtual ceremony held on 4 November. Hello! reports that 198 young people from 44 countries were recognised.

The Diana Award was set up in 1999 to honour the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales, mother of the two princes. The charity describes itself as the only charity founded in her memory. Its stated mission is to empower young people to lead change through initiatives that unlock potential, inspire action and create opportunities, according to the charity's website.

The brothers have written to the award before. In a 2022 letter, Prince William called Diana Award winners "an inspiration". In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, he wrote to the charity saying that he and his brother "remain appreciative of the work you do." The two princes have also appeared together in public tributes to their mother. In 2021 they unveiled a statue of Diana side by side.

This year's letters came from two separate authors rather than one joint message. Each prince wrote in his own name to the winners, who received their recognition at the online event.

The Diana Award keeps its focus on young people who take action in their communities. Its ceremonies, and the letters that accompany them, are a regular part of its calendar. The charity's website lists its programmes for those who want to learn more about how nominations work.