On World AIDS Day, Prince Harry is celebrating progress from the past and issuing a call for the future—with his late mother top of mind.
The Duke of Sussex penned a letter to commemorate the occasion, in which he spoke of his mother, Princess Diana, a longtime advocate in the fight against HIV/AIDS. "On this World AIDS Day we recognise the 40 years that have shaped life for many. We honour those whose lives have been cut short and reaffirm our commitment to a scientific community that has worked tirelessly against this disease," he wrote. "My mother would be deeply grateful for everything you stand for and have accomplished. We all share that gratitude, so thank you."
In his HIV/AIDS-related advocacy work, Harry often harkens back to the late Princess of Wales, who publicly supported patients battling the virus despite public fears. She memorably shook hands and hugged patients without gloves on at a time when some wrongly believed the illness could be transmitted through simple physical contact.
More than three decades later, Harry, 37, pointed out the parallels between the AIDS crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. "It is striking to now see the world's leading AIDS activists are also leading the call for COVID-19 vaccine equity," he wrote. "Vaccinating the world is a test of our moral character and we are experiencing a spectacular failure when it comes to global vaccine equity. Similar to the AIDS crisis, we've yet again revealed over the past year, that the value of life depends on whether you were born and/or live in a rich nation, or a developing country."
As the world faces the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, Harry addressed the global vaccination rate as nearly half of the population remains unvaccinated, particularly in Africa. "We've known for some time (thanks to medical experts) that if we are unable to meet agreed targets to vaccinate 40% of every country's population by the end of the year, and 70% by next September, potentially more dangerous COVID-19 variants are likely to arise. Yet, here we are," he wrote. "While it's too early to know the full extent of the risk that the Omicron variant poses, which we only know about thanks to the experts in Southern Africa identifying it, there is no doubt that its emergence is of deep concern. Now more than ever, the voiceless majority of the world needs to be heard, and the onus is on our leaders to end this pandemic. Anything less is self-defeating."
The father of two called for international pandemic agreements, for governments to deliver the doses "that they committed," for the breaking of "pharma monopolies that prevent vaccines from getting to communities around the world," and ultimately, "treating all human lives as equal lives."
To repeat the mistakes of the past, he said, is a "betrayal of the next generation."
"It's time to draw from the lessons we learned throughout the HIV/AIDS pandemic, where millions died unnecessarily due to deep inequities in access to treatment," he declared.
The royal concluded, "Let's spend today celebrating and building on the work of champions who turned what was once a death sentence into a manageable condition. Let's spend tomorrow continuing our efforts to save lives and make a difference."