Prince Harry Shows His “Girl Dad” Side at WellChild Awards as He Shares Sweet Moments With Young Honorees

Prince Harry brought a noticeably warm and playful energy to London’s 2026 WellChild Awards, where he spent time with young winners and their families before taking the stage to honor children living with serious and complex medical conditions.

The Duke of Sussex attended the ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on September 21, marking another public appearance since returning to the UK with Meghan Markle and their children in August. Harry has been WellChild’s patron since 2007 and attended the awards for the 16th time this year. (WellChild)

But among the evening’s more memorable moments was his interaction with six-year-old Margot Jones-Billington, winner of the Inspirational Child award for ages 4–6.

Harry shares a sweet moment with young winner

Margot, who survived a brain bleed and stroke at 20 months old and now lives with multiple complex conditions, caught Harry’s attention with her sparkly shoes.

During their conversation, Margot appeared to admire Harry’s wedding ring. The Duke responded playfully, leaning down to look at her glittering footwear and complimenting the sparkles.

Harry also connected the moment to his own family, telling Margot that he has a son and a daughter. He explained that his daughter, Princess Lilibet, loves sparkles and that pink is her favorite color. (The Irish News)

The exchange offered a glimpse of Harry’s more relaxed side as he chatted with one of the young people the charity was celebrating.

A miniature Harry makes him laugh

Harry also shared a lighthearted exchange with another young honoree, 10-year-old Will Messer.

Will asked the Duke to sign a Funko Pop! figure depicting Harry himself and presented him with a scarf from his favorite football team, Sunderland.

Rather than simply signing the collectible, Harry joked about its resemblance to him, comparing the figure’s expression to Stewie Griffin from Family Guy. The moment prompted laughter between Harry, Will and his father. (People.com)

Will, who was born with a leg deformity and a genetic condition affecting his facial development and breathing, is a full-time wheelchair user. He spoke with Harry about his love of gaming, with the Duke recalling that FIFA and Call of Duty were among the games he played in his own day. (The Irish News)

Harry honors children and their families

Later in the evening, Harry presented the Inspirational Child award for ages 4–6 to Margot before delivering a speech recognizing the children, parents, carers and professionals who support families facing complex medical needs.

“It is always a privilege to be part of the WellChild Awards,” Harry said before the ceremony, describing the children, young people, families and professionals involved with the charity as an inspiration. (WellChild)

He also highlighted the 20th anniversary of the WellChild Nurse programme, which was created to help children with serious illnesses receive more care at home. According to WellChild, the programme has grown to 54 nursing posts across children’s hospitals and communities throughout the UK. (WellChild)

The awards themselves are dedicated to celebrating seriously ill children and young people, along with the families and professionals who help them manage complex medical conditions. (WellChild)

Harry’s emotional appearance was also noted during the ceremony, with ITV reporting that he fought back tears while speaking about the parents caring for seriously ill children. (ITVX)

Another solo appearance in Harry’s UK return

The WellChild Awards marked another solo public engagement for Harry since he and Meghan returned to Britain with Archie and Lilibet on August 26.

Meghan did not accompany him to the ceremony. She has remained largely out of the public spotlight since the family’s return, while Harry has continued with a series of charitable engagements in London. (People.com)

The family’s return has already attracted attention after Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, were moved to a different school after only two days. Their security team raised concerns about the distance and heavy traffic involved in traveling to the original school. A spokesperson stressed that the decision was not a criticism of the school or its staff. (Reuters)

Harry had previously appeared at the Invictus Spirit Awards in London on September 17, where he spoke positively about being back in the UK.

Harry stays silent on fresh royal questions

Despite intense media interest surrounding his family and the latest developments involving his uncle, Earl Spencer, Harry did not address questions about the royal family when he arrived at the WellChild Awards.

Reporters attempted to question him about Spencer’s new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which has reignited controversy surrounding Princess Diana’s death and her relationship with the royal family.

Spencer has made a series of claims about King Charles in the book, including an allegation that the monarch told him, “We’ll forget her soon enough,” after Diana’s death. Buckingham Palace has pushed back against Spencer’s account, suggesting that grief can affect judgment and memory.

Harry has so far chosen not to publicly weigh in on the dispute.

Instead, his appearance at WellChild remained focused on the young people and families at the heart of the evening — from his playful conversation about sparkly shoes with Margot to the laughter sparked by a miniature version of himself in Will Messer’s hands.

For Harry, the night offered another opportunity to continue a charitable commitment he has maintained for nearly two decades, while the wider royal controversy continued to unfold around him. (WellChild)