Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation has pledged $500,000 to aid children affected by conflict in Gaza and Ukraine, including support for prosthetic development and medical evacuations, his office announced on Wednesday.
The announcement came on the third day of the Duke of Sussex’s visit to Britain, during which he toured the Centre for Injury Studies (CIS) at Imperial College London. Harry, who inaugurated the Centre for Blast Injury Studies in 2013, learned more about its work on child injuries caused by war and natural disasters.
“Gaza now has the highest density of child amputees in the world and in history,” Harry said in a statement. “It takes partnerships across government, science, medicine, humanitarian response and advocacy to ensure children survive and can recover after blast injuries.”
The Archewell Foundation’s donation will be split across three major initiatives. Two hundred thousand dollars will go to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support medical evacuations from Gaza to Jordan, while Save the Children will receive $150,000 for ongoing humanitarian assistance in Gaza. A further $150,000 will be directed to the Centre for Blast Injury Studies to advance its work in developing prosthetics for children wounded in both Gaza and Ukraine.
The CIS has warned that children are seven times more likely to die from blast injuries than adults. During Harry’s visit, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus joined him on a tour of the facilities and praised his commitment. “I’m really pleased about what he’s doing, especially for the children of Gaza. It’s not the money, it’s also the passion and commitment I think I see,” he said.
Harry also met with double amputee Dave Henson, a CIS ambassador and former Invictus Games captain, who has known the prince for more than a decade. Henson credited Harry’s long-standing involvement with raising the centre’s global profile.
The Duke of Sussex, who served two tours in Afghanistan during his decade in the British military, has consistently championed causes linked to veterans and victims of conflict, most notably through the Invictus Games. This week, he also announced a £1.1 million ($1.49 million) donation to youth programmes in Nottingham aimed at tackling violence and knife crime.
However, much of the media focus during his trip has centred on his strained relationship with the royal family. Questions remain over whether Harry will reunite with King Charles, whom he last saw 20 months ago and who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.
Melissa Enoch
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