Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Honored with President's Award at NAACP Image Awards 2022: 'We Are So Deeply Humbled'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are the recipients of a very prestigious honor.

On Saturday night (February 26), the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took to the stage at the 2022 NAACP Image Awards to accept the President’s Award in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.

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Through their Archewell Foundation, which they launched in 2020, the couple has supported efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and focused their attention on the Black Lives Matter movement and fighting for racial justice.

“It’s inspiring to think about the legacy of the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law,” Meghan said in their acceptance speech. “Today, we can continue that legacy by re-establishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants, like the late John Lewis. We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees.”

Harry added, “Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community. I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and this community for welcoming me so warmly. I think it’s safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason. We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to.”

“And I couldn’t be prouder that we’re doing this work together,” Meghan shared. “We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds. In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress.”

Harry and Meghan also teamed up with the NAACP for a new annual award – the NAACP Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award – which will recognize leaders creating transformational change through technology to advance civil and human rights.

“Last night, President Johnson presented this new award to its first recipient, Dr. Safiya Noble, cofounder of the UCLA center for critical internet inquiry, a renowned scholar, author and advocate. Dr. Noble is a visionary and partner to Archewell,” Meghan shared.

Harry added, “Safiya’s work speaks to a new chapter in the movement for civil rights. This community knows what it means to speak up for what is right and to march for what is just. As this fight for justice still remains, it’s time to extend this march to the world online, a place where hate and discrimination are fueled instantly, propagated globally and felt deeply.”

“This is the era of the digital justice movement. We are proud to partner with NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of us,” Meghan continued. “Thank you so much for joining us in this work, and thank you again for this incredible honor. Truly.”

Meghan ended their speech on a personal note, saying, “My mom’s here with us tonight, and we all feel very proud. Thank you.”