Prince Harry reflects on travel, conservation during New York visit

Prince Harry continued a busy week of public appearances in the United States, taking part in several high-profile events in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly week.

The Duke of Sussex spoke about his lifelong relationship with travel, conservation and global communities while appearing at the Skift Global Forum on Wednesday. His appearance came just weeks after he relocated his family to the United Kingdom, adding another high-profile engagement to his recent schedule.

During his remarks, Harry reflected on the opportunities he had to travel to different parts of the world while growing up as a member of the British royal family. He joked that many of those journeys happened because of his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

“I’ve been lucky enough to travel to, I think, probably all corners of the world, sent by my grandmother,” Harry said with a laugh.

He then shifted to a more serious discussion about how his experiences abroad shaped his understanding of conservation and the relationship between people and the natural world.

Harry particularly spoke about Botswana’s Okavango Delta, a region that holds personal significance for him. He first visited the area following the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. Over the years, he said, his connection with the region has developed beyond seeing it as simply a destination to visit.

“I first traveled there shortly after my mother’s death,” he said, explaining that his experiences in the region helped him process grief and develop a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Harry described the Okavango as a living system that supports wildlife, communities and livelihoods. He said that the way people discuss popular travel destinations can sometimes overlook the fact that these locations are also homes for people and animals.

“That description captures something that we can easily forget when we talk about destinations as an industry,” he said. “These places are not simply somewhere to travel to. They are home.”

His comments reflected his long-standing interest in environmental conservation and responsible tourism. Harry has been involved in the travel and conservation sector through Travalyst, a nonprofit organisation he founded in 2019 to encourage more sustainable practices across the global tourism industry.

Through the organisation, he has supported efforts aimed at helping travellers and businesses make choices that have a lower impact on the environment. He continues to serve as the organisation’s founder and patron.

Harry’s New York schedule also included an appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting earlier on Wednesday. There, he turned his attention to another issue that has become a major focus for him and his wife, Meghan Markle: the impact of technology on children.

The couple have repeatedly spoken about the potential risks children face in an increasingly digital world, including concerns surrounding social media, online platforms and emerging technologies.

At the event, Harry discussed the potential risks associated with artificial intelligence and other rapidly developing technologies. His comments highlighted concerns about how technological advances could affect younger generations and the importance of considering children’s safety as new digital tools become more widely available.

His appearances in New York come as Harry continues to build a public role around causes including conservation, responsible travel, technology and children’s wellbeing.

The Duke has increasingly used international events to discuss issues that extend beyond his former royal duties, while maintaining connections with organisations and initiatives focused on social and environmental causes. His latest engagements once again placed his personal experiences, including his childhood travels and memories of his mother, at the centre of his public discussions.