Meghan, Harry Praised by 'Grateful' World Health Organization For Award Win

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were praised by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) following the announcement that they have been named this year's Ripple of Hope Award laureates by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took to Twitter on Wednesday to congratulate the couple while highlighting their work in the areas of vaccine equality and mental health.

"Glad to see this recognition for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," he wrote.

"[WHO] is grateful not only for their work on mental health but also for their advocacy for #VaccinEquity during the #COVID19 pandemic. #HealthForAll means all!"

The comment quote tweeted the announcement from Kerry Kennedy, the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, that the organization had named Harry and Meghan the Ripple of Hope Award winners for 2022, in recognition of their work on "racial justice, mental health, and other social impact initiatives through their Archewell Foundation."

The couple was informed of their win in March and will be honored alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America.

"When The Duke and Duchess accepted our award laureate invitation back in March, we were thrilled," said Kennedy in a statement on Tuesday.

"The couple has always stood out for their willingness to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health around the world."

"Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to building strong and equitable communities, advancing the global dialogue around mental health, and advocating for a better world – both on and offline," the announcement read.

"They co-founded Archewell Foundation in 2020 with a mission to uplift and unite communities. In a short time, they have done so in remarkable ways: from supporting Afghan refugees seeking resettlement to uplifting families in the United States in need of paid parental leave; investing in organizations working in Ukraine, to partnering with the NAACP to create the first-ever Digital Civil Rights Award; working with the World Health Organization, People's Vaccine and Global Citizen to champion vaccine access globally, to raising funds to purchase doses for frontline health workers; among many other initiatives."

The couple has become prominent voices for social activism since stepping down from their roles as senior royals in 2020 and moving to the U.S. where they founded the Archewell Foundation as an outlet for their philanthropic passions.

In 2021, during a working visit to New York City, the couple joined world health and political leaders at the U.N. General Assembly to discuss ways vaccine equity in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and engage in a dialogue about the root causes of global health inequities.

The couple also participated in the Global Citizen Live event in Central Park, promoting vaccine equality.

Following their U.N. meeting Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted:

"It was my pleasure to join Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke & Duchess of Sussex, & a group of leaders in health, politics & advocacy to discuss the needs to achieve #VaccinEquity & address the root causes of health inequities globally, incl. poverty & discrimination. #UNGA"

The 2022 Ripple of Hope Award Gala will be held on Tuesday, December 6 in New York City. Though Harry and Meghan have not yet confirmed that they will be attending the event in person, they will join former honorees Stacey Abrams, former President Barack Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the royal couple's friend, the late- Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Newsweek reached out to representatives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for comment.

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