The Kennedys and the British royal family have a longstanding relationship dating all the way back to the 1930s, when Joe Kennedy Sr. was appointed the U.S. Ambassador to the UK. This fall, the connections between the two dynasties continue. In December, Prince William will honor the winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize at an awards ceremony in Boston hosted in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Prince William has spoken many times on how JFK’s iconic moonshot inspired his climate initiative, the Earthshot Prize.
A few days later, William brother Prince Harry and his sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, will receive the Ripple of Hope Award from the nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, given “in recognition of their work on racial justice, mental health, and other social impact initiatives through their Archewell Foundation.”
“When The Duke and Duchess accepted our award laureate invitation back in March, we were thrilled. The couple has always stood out for their willingness to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health around the world,” Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and Robert F. Kennedy’s daughter, said in a statement shared today. “They embody the type of moral courage that my father once called the ‘one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change.’”
Specifically, in the announcement of the Sussexes’ award, RFK Human Rights highlighted Archwell’s work on initiatives ranging from supporting Afghan refugees, to speaking out about mental health stigma, campaigning for paid parental leave, championing COVID vaccine access, collaborating with organizations on the ground in Ukraine, and working with the NAACP.
The Ripple of Hope Award Gala will be held in New York City on December 6, with the Sussexes honored alongside Frank Baker, Brian Moynihan, and Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Previous winners include Stacey Abrams, President Joe Biden, Bono, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, George Clooney, Tim Cook, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Amanda Gorman, Vice President Kamala Harris, Dolores Huerta, Colin Kaepernick, late Congressman John Lewis, former President Barack Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Desmond Tutu.
As the digital director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers culture, entertainment, and a range of other subjects