Harry and Meghan: Commonwealth's 'uncomfortable' history must be acknowledged to move forward
The pair were speaking to members of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust about issues around fairness, justice and equal rights.
Monday 6 July 2020 19:44, UK
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said the Commonwealth's history must be acknowledged if we are to move forward in the future.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the comments while speaking to members of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT) network.
The pair, who are president and vice president of the trust, were speaking to young leaders about the Black Lives Matter movement and issues around fairness, justice and equal rights.
Harry said: "When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past.
"So many people have done such an incredible job of acknowledging the past and trying to right those wrongs, but I think we all acknowledge there is so much more still to do.
"It's not going to be easy and in some cases it's not going to be comfortable but it needs to be done, because guess what, everybody benefits."
Acknowledging that it will take difficult conversations to bring real change, Meghan said: "We're going to have to be a little uncomfortable right now, because it's only in pushing through that discomfort that we get to the other side of this and find the place where a high tide raises all ships.
"Equality does not put anyone on the back foot, it puts us all on the same footing - which is a fundamental human right."
The call was part of a weekly discussion that the trust has been running with young people in response to the growing Black Lives Matter movement.
It was set up to help support and connect young leaders from around the world, encouraging them to build networks and learn from each other.
Harry and Meghan were joined on the call by Chrisann Jarrett, QCT trustee and co-founder and co-chief executive of migrant charity We Belong; Alicia Wallace, director of human rights organisation Equality Bahamas; Mike Omoniyi, founder and chief executive of news organisation The Common Sense Network; and Abdullahi Alim, who leads the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers network of emerging young leaders in Africa and the Middle East.
Since announcing their decision to step away from royal duties, the couple have regularly talked about their ongoing commitment to supporting young people across the Commonwealth.
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On the call, Harry said: "The optimism and the hope that we get is from listening and speaking to people like you, because there is no turning back now, everything is coming to a head. Solutions exist and change is happening far quicker than it ever has done before."
Meghan added: "Keep up the incredible work and know that we are right there with you, standing in solidarity. We're going to get there…and we have a lot of renewed faith and energy in that having had this conversation."