The Duke promised to channel Diana's compassion as the Sussexes launched their website.
The Duke promised to channel Diana's compassion as the Sussexes launched their website.
The Duke of Sussex put his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, centre stage as he launched his new charitable foundation yesterday, hailing her "kindness and compassion" as he declared: "I am my mother's son."
The Duke and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, pledged to "build a better world" as they unveiled the website for Archewell, featuring prominent photographs of their mothers.
A picture of a young Prince Harry on his mother's shoulders took pride of place at the centre of the homepage, signalling his determination to follow in her footsteps.
In a second monochrome image, a young Meghan stands as her mother, Doria Ragland, crouches down to hug her.
The couple launched the site with a joint statement called "Letter for 2021" which began: "I am my mother's son. And I am our son's mother. Together we bring you Archewell."
It went on: "We believe in the best of humanity. Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness, From our mothers and strangers alike.
"In the face of fear, struggle and pain, it can be easy to lose sight of this. Together, we can choose courage, healing and connection. Together, we can choose to put compassion in action.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, holding their son Archie. Photo / Getty Images
"We invite you to join us. As we work to build a better world. One act of compassion at a time."
The Duke and Duchess also announced partnerships between their foundation and several tech and research-focused groups.
The website detailed their plans for the Archewell Foundation, declaring that its core purpose was to "uplift and unite communities - local and global, online and offline - one act of compassion at a time".
The couple said: "We believe that compassion is the defining cultural force of the 21st century ... we support a growing community of partner organisations fuelling systemic cultural change."
They vowed to listen to people and communities and "put real action" behind their words.
To that end, they put out an appeal for members of the public to get involved under the heading: How do you activate compassion in the world?
They said that they wanted to hear stories, via an online form, about how people "acted with compassion in the last year" or how they felt connected with others, despite the distance.
The website also details their plans for Archewell Audio, which will produce podcasts for Spotify, the first of which was released this week, and Archewell Productions, created to "produce programming that informs, elevates, and inspires" for Netflix.
The couple said their programmes would "utilise the power of storytelling to embrace our shared humanity and duty to truth through a compassionate lens".
The multi-year deals signed with Spotify and Netflix are estimated to be worth around £18 million and more than £100 million respectively.
The Sussexes' first podcast, a "holiday special" released almost a year to the day since they stepped back from their official royal roles, sent a poignant message to their supporters.
Perhaps mindful of their triumph in the face of perceived adversity, the Duchess said: "Trust us when we say, love always wins."
The podcast saw their 19-month-old son, Archie, make his broadcast debut, complete with an endearing giggle, but the show has yet to break into the streaming service's top 10 most popular podcasts, climbing from 32 to 15.
Among the partnerships the couple announced yesterday, was one with Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist who co-founded the Center for Humane Technology, to back research on ways to create the conditions for safer, more compassionate online communities.
Another is with the Loveland Foundation, which focuses on providing affordable mental health resources to black women and girls.
They have also joined forces with the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry and Stanford University's Dr James Doty, whose work focuses on the science of compassion.
