Prince Harry spent time with seriously ill children and frontline nurses at Birmingham Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, marking the 20th anniversary of the WellChild Nurse Programme as his solo visit to the UK continued without Meghan Markle.

The Duke of Sussex, who has served as WellChild’s patron for 18 years, met families, healthcare staff and young patients while highlighting the charity’s work helping children with complex medical needs transition safely from hospital to home.

During the visit, Harry thanked nurses for their dedication, telling a group of medical staff: “Thank you for everything you do.”

Speaking to WellChild executives, nurses and families, the duke praised their commitment despite ongoing pressures facing the healthcare system.

“I don’t know if you hear it enough, the difference that you make every single day is quite literally changing daily lives,” Harry said.

He acknowledged the financial challenges facing healthcare, adding that hospitals and families depend on the expertise of specialist nurses to care for seriously ill children at home.

The visit also included heartwarming moments with several young patients.

While chatting with 12-year-old Alec Hill, Harry revealed that his son, Prince Archie, has become a passionate Lego fan.

“Do you know who’s obsessed with Lego? My son Archie—and he’s a master builder,” Harry shared.

Harry also spent time with Bilal Mirza, who is recovering after serious respiratory complications left him requiring a tracheostomy, and met Wyatt Makwana and their families during his tour of the hospital.

The duke later held discussions with WellChild director of programmes Amy Mitchell, Birmingham Children’s Hospital chief executive Matthew Boazman and WellChild nurse Nicky Holt about expanding specialist nursing support for families.

The Birmingham engagement formed part of Harry’s five-day visit to Britain ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games, which will be hosted in the city.

The appearance came just one day after Harry attended private meetings at the Royal Hospital Chelsea with the Invictus Games Foundation to discuss preparations for the upcoming competition and the Invictus Spirit Awards.

Meghan Markle did not accompany Harry on the trip, with reports stating she remained in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet because of ongoing security concerns.

While Harry carried out engagements in Birmingham, other senior members of the Royal Family were also undertaking official duties across the country.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited London Zoo to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Zoological Society of London, while Prince William travelled to Hastings, where he met members of the local fishing community and organizations supporting young people.

Harry’s charitable visit followed a difficult start to his UK trip after the High Court dismissed his long-running legal action against Associated Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information gathering.

The ruling cleared Daily Mail journalists of allegations including phone hacking and other unlawful reporting methods, leaving Harry and several fellow claimants facing substantial legal costs.

Despite the legal setback, Harry has continued focusing on his charitable work, with the remainder of his UK visit centered on the Invictus Games Foundation and preparations for Birmingham’s hosting of the international sporting event in 2027.

There has been no indication that Harry will meet with King Charles during this visit. The father and son were last reported to have met privately in September 2025.

Source: Various Sources.