The Duke of Sussex was joined by six-times Formula One world champion driver Lewis Hamilton today as he officially opened a new museum at the Silverstone circuit.
Prince Harry toured The Silverstone Experience in Northamptonshire, a museum charting British motor racing through the years at the new home of the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s archive.
The experience will also boast hands-on exhibits for visitors, and Harry will have a chance to get to grips with some of the interactive displays – including the pit gun challenge.
The Duke and Hamilton are also set to meet students from local schools in the Tech Lab section, learning more about the cutting-edge science and engineering that goes into motor racing.
The visit marks a final run of royal duties for Harry, since he and the Duchess of Sussex announced they would be stepping down as senior royals on March 31 – with only three further duties in the diary.
Harry and Meghan are making their last official appearances alongside the rest of the Royal Family – including Prince William and Kate – at the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey on March 9.
Hamilton, who drives for Mercedes, begins his bid to take a record-equalling seventh world title when the new Formula One season kicks off with the upcoming Australian Grand Prix.
Prince Harry arrives to open the Silverstone Experience with Formula One world champion driver Lewis Hamilton today
Harry and Formula One driver Hamilton arrive to open the Silverstone Experience in Northamptonshire today
Harry and Hamilton arrive today to officially open the experience, a new immersive museum about British motor racing
Formula One world champion Hamilton drives Harry to the Silverstone Experience in Northamptonshire this morning
It comes after the Duke of Sussex last night told wounded, sick and injured members of the armed forces that ‘hanging up your uniform is an incredibly hard thing to do’.
Prince Harry attended the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London yesterday to recognise the sporting and adventure achievements of the military.
The Duke thanked them for their support at the event, which was the first time he and wife Meghan have gone on a public royal duty together after the Megxit crisis.
And he told the veterans at a reception that he has ‘always got your back’ at one of his final events before he quits royal life with Meghan.
Harry, who served with the Blues and Royals and the Army Air Corps, spoke of the honour of serving his grandmother amid reports of tensions between the royals.
He said: ‘Being able to serve Queen and Country is something we all are rightly proud of, and it never leaves us. Once served, always serving!
Prince Harry arrives with Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton to officially open the Silverstone Experience today
The Duke of Sussex and Lewis Hamilton arrive at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire to open the Experience today
Hamilton begins his bid to take a record-equalling seventh world title when the new F1 season kicks off in Australia
‘Leaving the military and hanging up your uniform is – we know – an incredibly hard thing to do…unless of course it’s blue in colour…
The countdown to Megxit: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s last three engagements before their time as working royals ends
Tomorrow: Mountbatten Music Festival (Harry and Meghan)
Harry and Meghan will attend the Mountbatten Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, which see the Royal Marines showcase their musicianship and pageantry.
The Duke of Sussex at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in London in March 2019
The festival takes places over two days – today and tomorrow – at the venue in London, with the couple expected to attend tomorrow evening’s performance.
This event will also be Harry’s last engagement as Captain-General of the Royal Marines, before he loses this title as he steps down as a senior royal.
March 8: International Women’s Day (Meghan)
Meghan is expected to undertake an engagement to mark International Women’s Day on March 8, although no specifics have yet been revealed.
Speaking on a panel to mark International Women’s Day last year, she said she would like her first child to be a feminist, regardless of whether they are a girl or a boy.
Speaking on a panel to mark International Women’s Day, Meghan said she had recently been watching a documentary on feminism.
She told an audience at King’s College London last March: ‘One of the things they said during pregnancy was ‘I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism’.’
March 9: Commonwealth Service (Harry and Meghan)
Harry and Meghan will both attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey the next day with the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family.
Earlier this month it was revealed that the Queen had requested that Harry and Meghan attend the annual service with the rest of the royals.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left) with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) as they attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 11 last year
The event will likely see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reunite with Prince William and Kate, a year after they were pictured smiling together at the 2019 service.
But the Sussexes have severed professional ties with the Cambridges by pulling out of the Kensington Palace household and their joint charitable foundation.
‘But being forced to hang it up due to injury, beyond your control, can be even more difficult to accept.
‘It can take time and effort to recognise the fact that it is something that happened to you, rather than something that’s wrong with you – so please don’t ever forget that.’
Harry added: ‘I feel lucky to be able to count myself as one of you; and am deeply proud to have served among you as Captain Wales.
‘A lot of you tonight have told me you have my back, well I’m also here to tell you, I’ve always got yours.’
The couple will step down as senior royals on March 31 following four further public appearances in the coming days, which will conclude next Monday.
Meghan and Harry were earlier pictured in London yesterday leaving the exclusive Goring Hotel – the Queen’s favourite restaurant – after having lunch there.
And Harry waved to well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday as he was driven away in a Range Rover after a series of internal meetings with his team.
It came after they had a ‘heart to heart’ for four hours in her private apartments at Windsor Castle on Sunday about his imminent departure from the Royal Family.
Harry is said to have requested the meeting, and the Queen – who last saw her grandson during their showdown at Sandringham in January after Harry broke the news that he and Meghan were quitting – was happy to agree.
The Queen is believed to have told her grandson that she was keen to keep the door open for him and Meghan to return and stressed that he would be welcomed back from Canada at any time.
Harry, who has always enjoyed a warm relationship with his grandmother, was apparently keen to ‘clear the air’ before he and Meghan formally step down as working royals on March 31.
He has been staying at Frogmore Cottage, the couple’s home on the Queen’s Windsor estate, since returning to the UK last week to undertake a handful of final official engagements.
He and Meghan have agreed to pay back £2.4million in taxpayer funds used to rebuild the property in light of their decision to relocate to North America.
It is understood that he and his grandmother shared a light lunch and tea as they discussed his future on Sunday.
The Queen was left deeply upset after Harry and Meghan decided to suddenly announce their plans to step down and move abroad in early January in an apparent effort to bounce the Royal Family into agreeing to their demands to retain the trappings of royal life, while pursuing independent commercial careers.
And the couple were taken aback when Buckingham Palace made clear its displeasure and insisted that Harry would have to relinquish his HRH title as a non working royal and hand back their official patronages and his military positions, as well as dropping their plans to market themselves as ‘Sussex Royal’.
The Queen is said to be ‘very sad’ that she sees so little of Harry and Meghan’s son Archie, her great-grandson.
The meeting at the weekend was said to have been ‘productive and positive’. One source said Harry was seen leaving ‘deep in thought’.
But the couple have decided to leave Archie in Canada, meaning his British family haven’t seen him for more than four months.
Last autumn, American ex-actress Meghan opened up about her struggles with royal life in an ITV documentary filmed on their Africa tour.
She said she had tried to cope with the pressures by putting on a ‘stiff upper lip’ but she was not prepared for the intensity of tabloid interest.
‘It’s not enough to just survive something, that’s not the point of life. You have got to thrive,’ she added. Meghan told presenter Tom Bradby: ‘Not many people have asked if I’m OK.’
The Sussexes attended the previous annual Endeavour Fund Awards ceremony in February 2019, when the duchess was heavily pregnant with Archie.
Prince Harry speaks at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London last night
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at Mansion House in London for last night’s event
The Duke and Duchess pose for a group picture at the Endeavour Fund Awards in London last night
They had last been seen together on an official engagement on January 7 when they visited Canada House in London to thank the nation for hosting them during their festive break in the Commonwealth country.
The following day, sixth in line Harry and former Suits star Meghan plunged the royal family into a period of turmoil when they announced they wanted to step back as senior royals and become financially independent – a move dubbed Megxit by the press.
A summit of senior royals was later convened by the Queen at Sandringham to discuss the issue, with Harry sitting down for talks with his grandmother, father the Prince of Wales and brother the Duke of Cambridge.
It was eventually announced they would give up royal duties, split their time between Canada and the UK, with the majority spent in North America, no longer be known as HRHs, and their lives as working royals would end on March 31.
Tonight, Harry will join Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton at the official opening of the Silverstone Experience, a museum about British motor racing.
Harry and Meghan will attend the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall on March 7 and the following day the duchess will mark International Women’s Day.
The duke and duchess will join the Queen and other royals at the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey on March 9, their last official appearance as HRHs.
Also during last night’s speech, the Duke told the audience ‘Meghan and I are so happy to be back with you’, with both handing out awards during the evening.
The Endeavour Fund is a body set up by the Royal Foundation to finance inspiring sporting and adventure projects aiding the recovery of veterans.
The Duchess of Sussex also spoke at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House last night
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex smiles and cheer during a marriage proposal last night
Prince Harry smiles as he takes the stage at the Endeavour Fund Awards reception last night
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sign the guestbook at the Endeavour Fund Awards last night
The duke added many of the servicemen and women had told him they ‘had his back’ and was keen to offer his own support.
He said: ‘I feel lucky to be able to count myself as one of you; and am deeply proud to have served among you as Captain Wales.
‘A lot of you tonight have told me you have my back, well I’m also here to tell you, I’ve always got yours.’
He added: ‘You have all had to demonstrate physical and mental strength that I doubt you even realised you had.
‘Never underestimate what your actions, your choices and your resilience means to others.
‘You should all be tremendously proud of what you’ve achieved and the positive service you continue to provide to so many.
The Duke of Sussex waves to well-wishers as he leaves Buckingham Palace in London yesterday afternoon following a series of internal meetings with his team
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pictured at Canada House in London during what was their last official royal engagement on January 7
‘To see you guys excelling and uplifting others while doing it makes me incredibly proud and grateful to all of you – because you don’t have to do it, you choose to do it.’
Arriving at the venue, Meghan wore a bright blue Victoria Beckham dress and linked her arm under Harry’s as he held an umbrella above their heads as they walked inside.
Meghan took to the stage to present the ‘Celebrating Excellence’ award, which is given to those who achieve excellence in their chosen sport or adventurous challenge.
She said: ‘It is very nice to be back [at the event], it is the third year. As you all know I can feel it is just the most inspiring space.
‘I will say, watching the [nomination] videos all the way in Canada, we had the same moment as you, where each of us [said] ‘how are we going to choose.’
Prior to the ceremony, the couple mingled with guests, which included television star Ross Kemp, during a reception event.
Prince Harry (right) meets racing drivers Jenson Button (left), Lewis Hamilton (second right) and former F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart (second left) at Silverstone in July 2011
Prince Harry, his cousin George McCorquodale and his mother Princess Diana are shown the workings of a Williams F1 car at Silverstone by driver David Coulthard in July 1994
At times, the duke was very animated as he joked with award nominees, while Meghan asked questions and listened intently, clutching her purse by her side.
Ex-Royal Marine Lee Spencer, who holds the world record for the fastest unsupported row across the Atlantic Ocean despite losing his right leg in an accident, won the award, which was collected by his wife.
Meanwhile, Harry presented Army veteran Tom Oates with the final prize of the night, the Henry Worsley Award, which is given to an individual who has best inspired others through adversity.
Mr Oates lost his fiancee weeks after returning back from Afghanistan when she was struck by a car in front of him.
He now supports others with metal health difficulties and regularly speaks about his own experiences at events.
The Endeavour Fund’s new community impact award was presented by actor and journalist Ross Kemp to the Superhero Tri Series, which provides swim, cycle and run events that are open to all people regardless of their age.