Ian West/PA Wire
Prince Harry is calling for “selflessness, rather than selfishness.”
During an interview with military podcast Declassified, Harry spoke of his time serving in the army and about time spent volunteering and working with charity Team Rubicon UK after the devastating 2015 earthquake in Napal to help rebuild the communities that were hit the hardest.
Now, as the world continues to fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Harry is recalling the biggest lessons he’s learned from being a part of the army community. During the podcast, Harry encouraged listeners to not only support the work the charity is doing but also take it upon ourselves to be more selfless during these times.
“It’s about selflessness, rather than selfishness and I think in today’s culture, in today’s world, we need more role models that are willing to put others ahead of themselves,” Harry told host Michael Coates, after speaking fondly of the fact that members of the military community can be some of the best role models out there for young children. “I think that being part of a unit, being part of a team, and for me, wearing a uniform that was the same as everybody else’s, it kind of makes you feel totally equal, but at the same time makes you want to do everything you can for the person on your left and your right.”
Further, Harry continued to speak proudly of the work Team Rubicon UK is doing during the coronavirus crisis. Their most recent initiative has helped deploy nearly 200 veterans across Britain to supply food and personal protective gear to the communities who need it most and has also distributed close to one million personal protective equipment to frontline medical staff.
“I’m honored to be a veteran, and honored to be part of this community,” he said. “It’s also proving that I think things are better than we’re led to believe through certain corners of the media. It can be very worrying when you’re sitting there and the only information you are getting is from certain news channels, but then if you are on the right platforms, you can really sense this human spirit coming to the forefront.”
He later added, “We’re now questioned to help others, to give back and to play a part in society, in your community and to be a good neighbor… makes you a better person, makes you feel better, it’s good for your well being, it’s good for your mental fitness—that’s just fact.”
Most recently, Harry and Meghan Markle gave back to their community in Los Angeles during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Weeks after moving to L.A. with their son Archie Harrison, the couple helped distribute meals for Project Angel Food.
“Meghan and Harry were looking to be of service on Easter and Meghan was talking to her mother who told her Project Angel Food needs help. She said, ‘Yes, I would love to do it,'” Project Angel Food’s executive director Richard Ayoub told E! News. “They contacted us and came in and we gave them a tour of the kitchen. They were very engaged with everyone they met and asked questions. They were completely down to earth and interested in helping our more vulnerable clients, people who have compromised immune systems who are the most prone to getting the coronavirus.”