Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at a Diana Award panel in New York City on Wednesday, where he joked about his age and spoke about helping young people prepare for work.
Tessy Ojo, CEO of The Diana Award, told People magazine that guests were surprised when he walked into the room.
“He was on great form and very chilled. He made the young people feel at ease,” she said.
Harry, 42, kept the mood relaxed by joking that he was “not a spring chicken” compared with the younger guests.
“Everyone was saying he was so funny. He cracked jokes on the panel,” Ojo added.
The event was part of Harry’s busy two-day visit to New York. His other appearances focused on causes he has long supported, including young people, mental health and conservation.
The discussion also included a more personal moment when fellow panellist Robbie Neumann spoke about his mental health.
“Robbie, just you saying what you've shared in a room full of people, you've given people permission to share, too,” Harry told him.
Hosted by The Diana Award and ServiceNow, the panel explored how technology and artificial intelligence are changing job opportunities for young people.
Ojo said Harry helped bring the two organisations together. Their partnership has already trained 100 young people across Africa as AI engineers.
She said giving young people these skills could help them use AI to address inequality and make a difference in their communities.
