Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are letting their work speak for itself.
On Saturday, Feb. 26, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were honored at the 2022 NAACP Image Awards with the prestigious President's Award in recognition of their social justice work and their fight for equity worldwide.
"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 onstage at the event, the couple's first public appearance of 2022. "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."
Harry said, "Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community," referring to Russia's recent invasion of the country.
"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," he continued. "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."
Meghan, who returned to live in her home country of the United States with Harry in 2020, after the two announced their royal exit, note in her speech that the two moved to California "shortly before the murder of George Floyd."
"For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds," the duchess said, referring to the length of time police officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video with his knee on Floyd's neck. "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."
Meghan, 40, and Harry, 37, were joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, at the awards. The couple wore outfits by Black designers: Meghan sported a one-shoulder, blue ombre dress by Christopher John Rogers, paired with Aquazzura Celeste sandals. Harry wore a black tuxedo by Ozwald Boateng.
The two are the latest to join a notable list of President's Award recipients, including Rihanna, Jay-Z, Muhammad Ali, LeBron James, Lauryn Hill and more celebs.
It's a list that the Duke and Duchess have proven to be more than worthy to be a part of. While supporting the Black Lives Matter movement following Floyd's murder, Meghan and Harry—parents to 2-year-old Archie and 8-month-old Lilibet—spoke to youth leaders with the Queen's Commonwealth Trust about tackling systemic racism. And through the couple's Archewell Foundation, they have given out meals to those in need and volunteered at the L.A. organization Homeboy Bakery, which aims to transform the lives of former gang members.
The NAACP also partnered with Meghan and Harry to create the annual NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which will go to leaders who create change and promote civil and human rights. Recipients of the award will be given a $100,000 stipend to be used to "advance new work, expand leadership and expertise, or continue to make an impact in the field," per a press release from the organization.
Author and scholar Dr. Safiya Noble—who studies intersections between race, culture and digital technology—was named as the inaugural recipient of the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award.
"This is the era of the digital justice movement," Meghan said in her speech. "We are proud to partner with [the] 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. Thank you so much for joining us in this work, and thank you again for this incredible honor. Truly."
See photos of stars at the NAACP Image Awards: