Prince Harry and Meghan Markle release statement and appear in new video with kids ahead of Vancouver trip

Matthew Moore
·3 min read
Split image of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle playing with children
(Instagram)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have dedicated a large part of their lives to the interests of children, including a trip to Colombia in 2024 for online safety.

On Friday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a new statement about the importance of playtime for children, and also appeared in a video from Project:Camp LA, a non-profit organisation that provides pop-up day camps for children who have been impacted by disasters. See the clip below, which features Meghan playing Jenga...

The statement, released through their Archewell Foundation, read: "When communities around the world are struck with disaster, children need more than just shelter—they need stability, support, and the space to play. In the U.S., Project:Camp is filling that void by providing free, trauma-informed day camps for kids during emergencies. With the support of trained camp counselors, Project:Camp ensures that youth have a safe space to heal and process, while also giving parents and caregivers the time to rebuild and plan for what comes next.

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"In the aftermath of the recent Los Angeles wildfires, The Archewell Foundation was proud to partner with Project:Camp as they served families displaced by the Palisades and Eaton Canyon fires. Beyond their immediate response, Project:Camp is also at the forefront of ensuring that childcare and mental health is a core element of emergency response efforts in the future.

Meghan Markle and children playing Jenga
Meghan was seen playing with the children (Instagram)

"At The Archewell Foundation, we know that healing spaces are critical in times of crisis. That is why we've supported this work globally through Humanity Crew, bringing mental health resources to displaced communities, and in the U.S. by partnering with KABOOM! to build a healing playground for children in Uvalde after the tragic school shooting. Like Project:Camp, these efforts recognize that in moments of crisis, children need safe spaces to heal and play to begin to rebuild a sense of normalcy."

The charity praised the support of Archewell, commenting: "This past week we hosted camp at Santa Barbara Zoo for kids impacted by the Los Angeles fires.

Prince Harry sitting in a circle with people
Harry sat with members of staff and children (Instagram)

"We want to thank SB County Dept. of Behavioral Wellness and the Archewell Foundation for their support in ensuring these kids have a place to heal, reflect and play."

Harry's appearance in the video comes just before the father-of-two is due to fly out to Vancouver to host the 2025 Invictus Games, which launch on Saturday. The games serve as a sporting tournament for military personnel who are either sick or injured.

Prince Harry gives speech in his Netflix documentary
Harry will soon be hosting the 2025 Invictus Games (Netflix)

Harry and Meghan have been helping various charities that support those impacted in last month's wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles. The couple has supported food banks and provided shelter to close friends at their home in Montecito.

They also donated to the Altadena Girls Fire Recovery Fund through their Archewell Foundation. It's been confirmed that the Duchess arrived carrying clothes and new beauty products, alongside lunch for other volunteers.

Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of Chichester's Engineering and Technology Park on October 3, 2018
The Duke and Duchess assisted charities following the LA wildfires (Getty Images)

Meghan also visited affected families, speaking with them directly, and assisting girls with the shopping.

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