Prince William arrives to hand out awards at event in memory of late mother Princess Diana - before Harry appears at glittering ceremony via videolink (after his brother has left)

Prince William has appeared at a glittering ceremony in the memory of  his late mother, before estranged brother Prince Harry is due to speak via videolink.

Tonight William is making a rare joint appearance with his brother Prince Harry as the pair come together for the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in London.

But neither will be in the room at the same time, even virtually, in what will be the event's 25th anniversary.

It follows claims by a royal expert that Princess Diana would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name.

The legacy award was introduced by The Diana Award in 2017 to celebrate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, on the 20th anniversary of her death.

Tonight's spectacular event included a performance from songwriter Tom Walker and was hosted by Cel Spellman. 

The Prince of Wales visited the OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham earlier today - three days after his wife apologised for editing her Mother's Day photograph.

Prince William, Prince of Wales attends the The Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum

Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to Tom Walker, Ken Spellman and Dr Tessy Oho CBE as he attends The Diana Legacy Awards tonight

Prince William appeared at the Diana Legacy Award event at the Science Museum in London today, as he is pictured meeting key staff and supporters of the Diana Award

Prince Harry is set to appear by video call at the memorial event for Princess Diana in London 

A royal expert has claimed that Princess Diana (pictured in 1983) would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name

Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, Chief Executive, The Diana Awards kicked off the celebration this evening

William gave a speech in person to mark the charity's 25th anniversary and present awards to 20 recipients. The Prince of Wales appeared at the awards event alone as his wife Kate is still recovering from abdominal surgery.

Prince William told the winners tonight that they are 'driven by courage, compassion and commitment – qualities shared by my mother'.

'She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back, that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life.'

He told the audience that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, have sought to focus on Diana's legacy through their work.

'This evening's Legacy Award is particularly special as it marks the 25th anniversary year of The Diana Award, a charity set up to reflect my mother's belief that young people can change the world,' he said.

'I know that she would have been honoured to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe.'

He said that his mother taught him that that 'everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life'.

'She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back; that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life,' he said.

'That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years.'

His wife Kate Middleton is not in attendance tonight as she continues to recover from surgery in January. 

He added: 'I am so proud to see this belief of my mother's manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.'

Harry, who lives in California, is due to join a video call with the winners, according to reports. However, his involvement will only take place after his brother has left the ceremony.

For most of their lives, the royal brothers have been close, united by the shared trauma of losing their mother who died aged 36 in a 1997 Paris car crash when William was 15 and Harry was 12.

But since Harry's 2018 wedding to his wife Meghan Markle, relations between them have soured.

An explosive interview that the couple gave chat show host Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 marked a new low, while anecdotes about their relationship in Harry's bombshell memoir, Spare, which was released last year, also saw them grow further apart.

Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to Tom Walker, Ken Spellman and Dr Tessy Oho CBE

Prince William, Prince of Wales meets Baroness Doreen Lawrence as he attends tonight

The Prince met key staff and supporters of the Diana Award, before joining the ceremony where he heard about the recipients' work. Pictured with Dr Tessy Oho CBE

The Prince of Wales appeared at the awards event alone as his wife Kate is still recovering

Prince William told the winners tonight that they are 'driven by courage, compassion and commitment – qualities shared by my mother'

The feud between the estranged brothers has cast a shadow over the whole family, which saw Harry and Meghan leave the UK.

There was hope for a reunion when Harry flew back to Britain after the news of King Charles' cancer diagnosis was announced.

But the King only saw Harry for half an hour - and William made no plans to see his brother.
As well as receiving The Legacy Award, recipients receive bespoke personal and professional development support to enhance their social action work with the long-term aim of inspiring and mobilising other young people to engage in social action.

Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, Chief Executive, The Diana Award said: 'As we mark the start of our 25th Anniversary year these young people couldn't be a more fitting tribute and legacy to Diana, the late Princess of Wales and her belief that young people have the power to change the world. 

'Through their courage, selflessness and sheer determination they are making change happen, often, in the face of huge adversity. Their compassion, determination and agency to make positive change today and in the years ahead is immense.'

The 20 Legacy Award recipients have been chosen by a prestigious independent judging panel, chaired by Baroness Doreen Lawrence.

'These young people represent the next generation of change-makers and innovators across the globe and it is their stories from which we should listen and learn. 

'This is why Gilead Sciences is supporting The Diana Award, which recognises young people who are already making strides for social and humanitarian change. We are immensely proud to continue our support for this programme that mentors these young winners and encourages them to make a lasting impact on the world.' 

The feud between the estranged brothers has cast a shadow over the whole family

Princess Diana exhibition Princess Diana, Princess of Wales with Prince William and Prince Harry on holiday in Majorca, Spain on August 10, 1987

The Diana Award is an accolade given to a young person aged 9-25 for their social action work

Ingrid Seward, the royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine says that the pair's mother - who the evening is in tribute to - would have forced the warring brothers to reunite to celebrate the prize's winners. 

'And if she failed, I think she would have insisted that they came together however briefly by speaking over the video link in order to celebrate the winners of the prize organised in her name,' she told the Mirror. 

It comes as Meghan Markle launched launched a luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard with a glitzy Instagram video today.

The Diana Award is an accolade given to a young person aged 9-25 for their social action work.

The charity was set up to reflect the Princess of Wales' belief that young people have the power to change the world.

The brothers' reluctance to acknowledge each other's presence at the event lays bare the depth of their feud as before their falling out they often appeared together in person to pose with the award winners. 

While a spokesman for the award told The Telegraph that Harry will be a 'key part' of the celebration.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: 'The Prince [of Wales] will meet key staff and supporters of the Diana Award, before joining the ceremony where he will hear about the recipients' work, make a short speech and present Legacy Awards to this year's winners.' 

Legacy Award recipient Alizey Khan, 26, established the RUHIL Foundation, with the goal of ensuring nobody would go hungry in her city. 

To combat food poverty, they delivered 5,500 monthly food parcels and 10,000 meals. 

Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang, aged just 18,  founded Cases 4 Care Indonesia when she was 11.

Christina Williams, from Jamaica, she fundraised millions of Jamaican dollars in supplies to support homeless students and those unable to leave their campuses due to closed borders.

Recipient Dejea Lyons, 21, has presented at COP26, became a young editor of magazine OH-WAKE, and attended COP28 representing the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands raising awareness about climate injustice in her region.

The royal appearances come after Prince William joked today that his wife Kate 'is the arty one'.

William also told youngsters at the OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham that his son Prince Louis 'loves sprinkles, so I'm going to put some more on here'.

It comes as William and Kate continue to face intense scrutiny after the Princess publicly apologised and confessed to digitally editing a family portrait taken by her husband and released by Kensington Palace to mark Mother's Day last Sunday. 

Kate is said to be distraught by the criticism - and today, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency compared Kensington Palace to North Korea and Iran.

Other royals on engagements today included Prince Edward and Sophie who attended the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham. 

Prince William is seen decorating biscuits alongside young people at West in White City today

Prince William is seen decorating biscuits alongside young people at West in White City today

Prince William concentrates as he goes to throw a basketball watched by young people during his visit to West, the new OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham in London today

On his visit to the £12million centre today, William played basketball and celebrated successfully shooting a hoop after four failed attempts at the site, which is called West ('Where Everyone Sticks Together'). 

Also during the trip, William urged people to spend less time on their phones, as he told one youngster who confessed to scrolling: 'The grown ups are guilty of it too.'

Dressed in a trendy blue 'coatigan' - a combination between a cardigan and a coat' - William said 'we have got to be better at it', with people across the generations spending 'ages on our phones'.

During the visit, he turned his hand to a range of non-screen-based activities, shooting a basketball hoop and icing a biscuit.

But he returned to the topic of mobile phone use twice during the engagement, in which he found himself in the middle of a crowd of excited children and teenagers shaking hands and taking a selfie.

Onlookers described him as being 'in full dad mode' as he spent more than an hour with youngsters, darting off to see a new room or asking his team if he had enough time to try his hand at another sport.

Arriving at the site, William was greeted by a line-up of dignitaries and congratulated them on their achievement in helping the young club to get off the ground.

The Prince of Wales throws the basketball during his visit to West in White City this morning

William celebrates with young people after he threw the basketball at West in London today

William celebrates with young people after he threw the basketball at West in London today

'What you've done here is incredible,' he said. 'I really like the concept, it ticks all the boxes - it's fun, safe, educational... It's great.'

Peppering them with questions about what the land was before the building, how they reach the young people to get them in, and what they would be doing otherwise, he said: 'It's a massive achievement.'

William was escorted by Kevin McGrath, Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham who represents the monarch at official events locally. 

The Prince made his way slowly through the building, shaking hands with any passing child or volunteer and asking their names and a little bit about them.

His first stop was around an art table, where a team of young people who had helped design West told him about their vision.

'It's such a great space isn't it,' he told them. 'What do you like most about it?'

As the conversation turned to what they would be doing if they were not at the facility, one young woman told him she would otherwise be 'scrolling' her phone.

'How much time do you all spent on your phones a day,' he asked, looking around to joke: 'Everyone in this room has got something to be honest about here!'

Hearing that it could be up to 15 hours, William said: 'I bet you feel better coming here, not on your phone.'

Prince William plays a game of pool during his visit to the West site in White City this morning

Prince William arrives and is escorted by Kevin McGranth, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, for his visit to visit West, the new OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham in London today

William speaks to young people at the OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham today

William gestures as he speaks with young people during his visit to West in White City today

He went on to praise the organisation, which is open seven days a week, for giving a space to 'get your homework done, then your evenings are a bit quieter'.

'Where can you go and be kids and do your stuff outside school?' he asked.

After congratulating the team, he made an impromptu visit to a state-of-the-art gym where he watched school children practising their dead hands and chin ups.

Cheering them on with a small group of youngsters, he joked around with boys who flexed their bicep muscles to show their strength.

William then made his way to the basketball court, where he heard from adult coaches before young players gathered around him to shake hands and chat.

Conversation inevitably turned to football, as he asked them 'What do you prefer, basketball or football?' and quizzed them on which teams they support before an in-depth chat about Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

'It's going to be close run in the Premiership,' he told them seriously.

William smiles during today's visit to the new OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham

Prince William gestures during his visit to the new OnSide Youth Zone in West London today

William speaks to young people at the OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham today

Gesturing to the adult staff members who will be on hand at the centre to support them, he added: 'Ask these guys all the questions you want to ask please, not just basketball. Talk about anything, they're here to help you.'

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Agreeing to try and shoot a hoop, it was fifth time lucky for the Prince before he finally scored and could celebrate.

'It's so great that the older age group can help mentor the younger ones,' he added.

Making his way back through the main entrance hall, the younger children giggled as he shook their hands.

Asking their names and hobbies, they played a guessing game to name his favourite football team of Aston Villa, and asked about his children.

'I've got three children. George, Charlotte and Louis,' he said, adding of his eight-year-old daughter: 'She loves her ballet.'

He then attempted to walk past a pool table before getting drawn in, asking his team if he had time for a few shots.

'Oooo so close!' he cheered, as one of his young opponents missed a shot after he successfully pocketed a ball.

He cheerfully agreed to one selfie before members of staff moved him on for fear of getting swamped.

Upstairs, he was invited to join a biscuit-icing session in a kitchen.

'My wife is the arty one,' he said. 'Even my children are artier than me.'

'Do you do any cooking at home,' he asked teenagers, hearing about their pizza and pancakes.

Prince William plays a game of pool during his visit to the West site in White City this morning

Prince William gestures as he interacts with young people during his visit to West this morning

William smiles during today's visit to the new OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham

The Prince of Wales arrives at the new OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham today

Asked about his favourite biscuit, he plumped for chocolate digestives or a KitKat. 'Other biscuits are available,' he added, laughing.

Choosing how to decorate his plain biscuit, he wondered aloud about writing a 'big W' before settling on 'West', the name of the young centre.

'Louis loves sprinkles,' he said, adding them liberally.

The Prince continued: 'How's that? Alright? It's remotely edible. Not quite as good as yours, but it'll do. In the couple of minutes I got to do it.' 

He again turned the topic to mobile phone use, asking the room: 'Are all of you on your phone quite a lot? Do you know how long you spend on your phones?'

He added 'Do you think it's a good idea to be on your phone all day?', adding 'Who said yes!?' in mock outrage.

'The grown ups are guilty of it too,' he said. 'We have got to be better at it, our phones, too. We spend ages on our phones.'

The Prince then met some of the supporters of the project, thanking them for helping to bring it to life.

William listens to young people speak during his visit to the new West site in White City today

William speaks to young people at the OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham today

Prince William gestures during his visit to the new OnSide Youth Zone in West London today

Prince William plays a game of pool during his visit to the West site in White City this morning

Hearing how one young adult credited a youth club she visited at 13 with transforming her life, he said he hoped more people could learn 'confidence, conversation, social skills and public speaking' at a young age.

'It's interesting how many people have had role models they looked up to,' he added. 'I think you're going to have quite a few of them here, which is amazing.

'It's incredible the energy out there. Everyone, everywhere, needs a place like this.'

The Prince was then cheered by the assembled children and staff, as he returned to the main entrance.

Rather than unveil the plaque himself, he clapped as 12-year-old called Yaya - one of project's the youth development team - did the honours.

He left slowly, shaking hands again with everyone he came across and referring to some he had met earlier in the day by name.

On Monday, Kate publicly took the blame for the manipulated family photograph released by Kensington Palace as she issued a personal apology for the 'confusion'.

On Sunday, Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery

Prince William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor together by car on Monday afternoon

Kate said sorry with a statement on social media which read: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.

'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.'

The photograph of Kate and her children, taken by William, was the first to be issued since the princess's abdominal surgery and was released by the Palace to mark Mother's Day.

It was issued in part to quell conspiracy theories about Kate, who had not been seen at a royal event since Christmas Day or after her surgery.

But it was withdrawn with a 'Kill' notice by international picture agencies hours later, and the UK's PA news agency on Monday, because of suspicions it had been manipulated.

The saga intensified speculation concerning Kate, her health and her whereabouts, and raised questions over whether images released by Kensington Palace could be trusted.

Royal sources said the Princess made 'minor adjustments' and that Kate and the William wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day.

Other royals out today included Prince Edward, at Birmingham's All England Open Badminton Championships. He is pictured holding a racket after it had been on a stringing machine

Edward and Sophie at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham today

Sophie attends the All England Open Badminton Championships with Prince Edward today

Prince Edward laughs at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham today

Kate was later spotted leaving Windsor in a car with William as he was driven to the Commonwealth Day service. The princess was not attending the service, but was understood to have a private appointment.

Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children.

The Palace has faced growing pressure over the debacle with the controversy branded damaging to the public's trust of the royal family .

Concerns were raised over a missing part of Princess Charlotte 's sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt, with other speculation including the positioning of Kate's zip.

The picture was released to reassure the public amid escalating conspiracy theories online over the state of Kate's health in recent weeks, but in an extraordinary turn of events sparked what is being dubbed 'Kategate' and even 'Sleevegate'.

William and Kate have an established track record of issuing their own photographs, often taken by Kate rather than William, to mark special occasions including their children's birthdays.

But the Princess's confession has raised questions over whether - or to what extent - the images have been altered in the past.

In May 2021, Prince William and Kate visited OnSide's Wolverhampton Youth Zone, 'The Way'

Kate tries archery on a visit to OnSide's Wolverhampton Youth Zone, 'The Way', in May 2021 

Sky News said an examination of the photo's meta data revealed it was saved in Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac on Friday and Saturday and the picture was taken on a Canon Camera.

Under the licensing agreement issued to photo agencies for use of official royal photos, Royal Households usually stipulate: 'This image must not be digitally enhanced, cropped, manipulated or modified in any manner or form.'

Kate had surgery at the London Clinic on January 16, but details of her condition have been kept private, and she is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter .

While the fallout from the picture continued, William was back on royal duties today as he arrived in White City at 11am to visit West, the new purpose-built youth facility that will soon be available to young people in the area.

Kensington Palace said the site, which was given its name by local young people, will be staffed by youth workers who will 'support young people from across West London to develop the skills and confidence they need to achieve their dreams'.

The West Youth Zone, which is a newly formed local independent charity, has facilities including a sports hall, fitness suite, indoor climbing wall, teaching kitchen and a performing arts studio.

Queen Camilla and Prince William attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service on Monday

There will also be a café which will serve hot meals costing no more than £1. 

It is also part of an education hub known as EdCity, which was developed by education charity Ark alongside Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

This centre will also include a new school, nursery, adult education centre and affordable housing.

West has been developed by OnSide, which the Palace described as a 'national youth centre charity whose mission is to empower young people to lead positive, fulfilling lives by providing access to state-of-the-art spaces and exceptional, life-changing youth work in areas where they are needed the most'.

There are 14 Youth Zones in the UK OnSide network including in Bolton, Manchester, Wigan and across London - with seven more set to open over the next two years in areas such as Bristol, Grimsby, Preston and Essex.

In 2021, the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited OnSide's Wolverhampton Youth Zone, 'The Way'.

During today's visit, William spent time speaking to pupils from Ark White City primary school and West' Young People's Development Group who were involved in shaping the design and facilities in the new centre.

He toured the Youth Zone, meeting young people using the four-court indoor sports hall before seeing a teaching kitchen.

William also celebrated the launch of the Youth Zone with a plaque unveiling it ahead of its official opening next month on April 21, when it will be available seven days a week.

Later, Harry and William will both separately take part in the Diana Legacy Award ceremony.

It comes as the royal brothers have continued to distance themselves from each other in recent months.

The pair did not meet when Harry spent time with the King at Clarence House following news of his cancer diagnosis last month.

In an interview with ABC's Good Morning America, Harry said 'I love my family' and that he was 'grateful' to be able to spend around 45 minutes with Charles when he flew back to the UK.

Harry published his controversial memoir Spare last year, in which he accused William of pushing him into a dog bowl in a row over Meghan Markle.

It was also claimed William teased Harry about his panic attacks.

The King laughs during an audience with Baroness Scotland at Buckingham Palace yesterday

King Charles III is pictured waving to cheering royal fans from his car in London yesterday

Further tensions between the royal brothers can be traced back to the early period of Harry's relationship with wife Meghan, when his then fiancee had a falling out with the Princess of Wales in the run-up to their wedding.

The Diana Award was set up to promote the Princess's belief that young people have the power to change the world for the better.

Both William and Harry presented the inaugural legacy awards at St James' Palace in 2017.

Dr Tessy Ojo, chief executive of The Diana Award, told The Times: 'It's a privilege to have the support of both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex - particularly as we mark our 25th anniversary year.'

A spokesman for the award also told The Telegraph that Harry will be a 'key part' of the celebration.

'He is scheduled to speak with the award recipients, virtually, on the evening of the awards to celebrate their accomplishments,' he said.

Yesterday, the King appeared full of cheer during an audience with Baroness Scotland at Buckingham Palace.

Charles, who has met the Commonwealth secretary-general on many occasions, welcomed his guest to the Private Audience Room for the in-person meeting.

Harry and William at the unveiling of a Princess Diana statue at Kensington Palace in July 2021

William and Harry together after Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey in September 1997

Kate posted an apology on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account on Monday

The 75-year-old monarch, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, is continuing with his head of state duties including face-to-face audiences despite not carrying out official engagements in public. 

He was photographed chuckling and giving a wide smile as he shook Baroness Scotland's hand.

The King is Head of the Commonwealth but this week missed the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, although his pre-recorded video message was played to the congregation.

Queen Camilla and William attended the service along with other royals including Princess Anne.

Also yesterday, Camilla spent a day at the races as she attended the Cheltenham Festival.

Anne was also among the royal party as were Zara and Mike Tindall, Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, and Camilla's friend and official Queen's Companion, Lady Sarah Keswick.

Spotted in the parade ring before the start of a race was former army officer Mark Dyer, who acted as Harry's mentor, playing the role of a supportive big brother figure for him after the death of Diana.

In October, OnSide published its 'Generation Isolation' report which found 76 per cent of 5,000 11-18-year-olds, surveyed in partnership with YouGov, spent most of their free time on screens, with 51 per cent spending most of their time in their bedrooms.

Charles Mindenhall, chair of OnSide, described the benefit the new centre will have for local young people: 'As they come here and try different things, it helps them build an aspiration, not just to do those activities and get better at them but to try other things.'

He also commented on phone use: 'With the Generation Isolation report that we did, too many children are stuck on their phones and that's incredibly unhealthy thing for them to be doing.'

The Diana Award recipients 

Alizey Khan - Ruhil Foundation - from Pakistan, Age 26

Alizey established the RUHIL Foundation, with the goal of ensuring nobody would go hungry in her city. To combat food poverty, they delivered 5,500 monthly food parcels and 10,000 meals. Alizey soon realised the multidimensional nature of poverty and raised over $150,000 to offer education and shelter support. The foundation also tackles taboo issues by supporting sex workers, orphaned children, and transgender communities, while also raising awareness about period poverty in Pakistani society. Alizey's contributions include providing education to 150 children of sex workers and serving as an honorary fundraising director for Begum Inayat Welfare Society, an orphanage housing 77 children.

Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang - Cases 4 Care - from Indonesia, Age 18

At age 11, Chiara founded Cases 4 Care Indonesia, after learning about the human rights violations at Southeast Asia's biggest landfill site. It has provided the 1,000 landfill children with informal education by furnishing five libraries with 1,500 books and lobbying for donations with multinational corporations. In 2023, they began to expand to refugee communities. Through her passion for public speaking, TED Talks, and Symposiums, Chiara believes that advocacy is key. Her passion for upholding children's rights started with Model United Nations, where she won multiple international awards through debating mostly for women's and children's rights.

Christina Williams - Changemaking Education in the Caribbean - from Jamaica

A student advocate from age 11, Christina's achievements include successfully lobbying for student access to health insurance island-wide, reducing student deregistration by 99%, and an emergency fund to support the most disadvantaged students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she fundraised millions of Jamaican dollars in supplies to support homeless students and those unable to leave their campuses due to closed borders. Her work has been recognised by the European Union, United Nations, and Commonwealth Secretariat. Christina has a passion for policy and partnerships, which she leverages to drive positive change for people and for the planet.

Dejea Lyons - Protect Our Future - from the Cayman Islands, Age 21

Dejea has dedicated herself to working for a better future for her home, the Cayman Islands, with the hope to create a future free of environmental destruction. Youth-led environmental organisation Protect Our Future boasts over 60 members from across the Cayman Islands, who relentlessly campaign to bring attention to the banning of single-use plastics, mangrove deforestation and halting construction along the coastlines of the islands. In recent years Dejea has presented at COP26, became a young editor of magazine OH-WAKE, and attended COP28 representing the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands raising awareness about climate injustice in her region.

Gabrielle Wong - the Discimus Foundation - from England, Age 18

Gabrielle is a passionate young leader who is determined to improve the quality of computer education in rural communities worldwide. After a trip to Phnom Penh, she learnt that students had not seen or used a computer before, this sparked the idea to create Discimus Foundation which, to date, has raised over £30,000 and provided computer labs and technology classes to over 9,000 students, supported by 30+ volunteer teachers. Despite facing many challenges, Gabrielle has established partnerships between Discimus Foundation and six local charities to further enhance the technology education landscape in rural communities.

Gobhanu Sasankar Korisepati - SWIFTmfi (Sustaining Women in Financial Turmoil) - from Oman, Age 19

Recognising the barriers that traditional financial services pose to minority groups, Gobhanu was driven to create a solution. He founded Sustaining Women in Financial Turmoil (SWIFTmfi), a microfinance NGO dedicated to providing financial support to women in marginalised communities facing economic difficulties. Gobhanu's initiatives have provided microfinance funding for over 3,000 women in 77 countries, enabling them to establish sustainable businesses, achieve financial independence, and escape poverty. SWIFTmfi's global efforts have positively impacted over 74,000 lives. In 2023, SWIFTmfi launched SWIFTconnect, an innovative online tool for financial literacy, benefiting over 400 young individuals across Asia and Africa.

Hailey Richman - KidCaregivers - from USA (New York), Age 16

Hailey founded KidCaregivers, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting young carers dealing with loved ones affected by Alzheimer's. So far, she has 25,000 followers in 16 countries. Hailey created an online support group for kids to connect, share experiences, and feel they're not alone. They also launched a programme pairing young volunteers and people with Alzheimer's for puzzle-solving sessions. Through this Hailey has mobilised more than 2,000 students and Girl Scouts. Together, they have distributed more than 136,000 jigsaw puzzles to over 5,000 care homes, reaching upwards of 500,000 people with Alzheimer's, and raised over 60,000 dollars for Alzheimer's research.

Joel Nkeonye Mordi - Mordi Ibe Foundation - from Nigeria, Age 26

Despite adversity, in 2015 Joel founded the Mordi Ibe Foundation (MIF), Nigeria's only charity catering for LGBTQ+ and other vulnerable students to keep them in school, including young people experiencing period poverty. The foundation has so far impacted over 100,000 young people. Joel has been invited to speak at prestigious events and his human rights campaign was featured in the 2022 'Times Higher Education Awards'. Having grown up experiencing bullying behaviour at school, Joel created Nigeria's first ever anti-bullying policy across schools in Delta state to combat children targeted for being different and further dropping out of school.

Maddison O'Gradey - Orygen Global Youth Mental Health Advocacy Fellowship - from Australia (Syndney), Age 26

Maddison is a mental health lived experience advocate committed to reducing the stigma around mental illness. A Master of Clinical Psychology/PhD candidate, she conducted research into improving the assessment of mental health in young people, particularly in Indigenous communities. Maddison is the co-founder of the Orygen Global Youth Mental Health Advocacy Fellowship, an online education and mentoring programme for youth advocates across the world. She has run workshops for over 5000 young people, spoken at multiple high-profile events across Australia, received Dalai Lama Peace Fellowship and was named in the top 100 most influential women in Australia.

Manasi Gupta - Huesofthemind Foundation - from India (Haryana), Age 24

Impacting over 50,000 lives through her nonprofit, the Huesofthemind Foundation, Manasi has created an empathetic community focused on mental health support. In collaboration with over 200 stakeholders, Huesofthemind has delivered innovative campaigns, projects and events globally. Manasi has personally delivered 100+ sessions globally to encourage an emphasis on mental health support. Her work during the COVID-19 pandemic was recognised and awarded by the former Health Secretary of India at the IHW Digital Health Awards. She has created an illustrated book to raise funds and increases awareness through social media, reaching more than 1.2 million viewers in the past four years.

Nafira Nayeem Ahmad - Amplitud - from Bangladesh, Age 20

Having grown up in a patriarchal society, Nafira is determined to abolish social taboos and discrimination in Bangladesh. She founded 'Amplitude' – a non-profit organisation led by the youths of Bangladesh who strive to eradicate discrimination by providing sustainable solutions. Despite facing many challenges, she has worked relentlessly for the underprivileged. With 30+ volunteers, Amplitude has quickly become a driving force for social justice and equality. She has led 30+ charity events helping marginalised people, including an art exhibition which showcased underprivileged artists, with profits used to buy art supplies for orphans.

Netra Venkatesh - SpunkGo - from the United Arab Emirates, Age 17

Netra set up her organisation SpunkGo in 2020, which brings together over 5,000 young girls from over 20 countries and from all walks of life to one community platform with the objective of using social media for good. Through SpunkGo, she organises free life skills webinars featuring inspiring women speakers, to impart knowledge to girls around the world. These members, who mostly come from underprivileged backgrounds, now have enormous opportunities of personal growth through all the chances to learn and network globally. Her work empowers and enables young people globally to be independent and knowledgeable.

Olivia Zhang - Cancer Kids First - from the United States (Virginia), Age 18

After losing loved ones to cancer, Olivia felt empowered to take something negative and create something positive out of it. She founded Cancer Kids First, the world's largest youth-led organisation that works towards lessening the challenges paediatric cancer patients face. They have supported over 10,000 lives through diverse programmes. They host a variety of online events to unite 40,000 young people in fostering a supporting environment for patients. They have utilised social media to spread their reach, sharing their mission with over 4.4 million young people. As a result, their volunteers skyrocketed from 120 to 7000 in one week.

Oluwadamilola Akintewe - Forbidden Topics - from Nigeria, Age 24

After being assaulted on campus, Oluwadamilola faced victim blaming, as is predominant in Nigeria. The trauma surrounding this experience inspired her into founding Forbidden Topics. Forbidden Topics works to destigmatise and demystify subjects deemed taboo in her society, and advocate for change across 30 countries. She is creating safe spaces for young women to share their experiences with gender-based violence without fear or shame and empowering them to use their voices to demand better. Oluwadamilola has also mentored 50 female students in professional development, providing them with advocacy tools to fight against gender inequality.

Shamim Ahmed Mridha - Eco-Network Global - from Bangladesh, Age 26

Shamim is the founder of Eco-Network Global, one of the largest youth groups in multiple countries, which aims to ensure proper climate education through training programmes and awareness campaigns. The project has provided climate education to more than 50,000 young people, both online and offline and aims to plant 50,000 trees by 2030 to commemorate Bangladesh's 50th anniversary of independence. As well as advocacy, Shamim helps people build resilience to climate disasters. Due to the vulnerability of Bangladesh's coastal areas to cyclones and floods, he organised a fundraising event that benefited 350 high-risk households.

Sikander (Sonny) Khan - Paani Project - from the United States (Michigan), Age 25

Raised as a Pakistani American, Sonny understands the unique privileges he carries, compared to the daily struggles his family and community experience in Pakistan. At university, Sonny, along with other students, founded Paani Project; an organisation that tackles Pakistan's lack of secure access to clean water. The project has raised over $3.1 million. To date, they have built over 9,300 water wells that serve more than 700,000 villagers. Paani Project has also donated medical supplies, distributed over one million meals, and built schools for refugees while galvanising thousands of youths globally through community-based awareness.

Sofia Scarlat - Girl Up Romania - from Romania, Age 21

Sofia is the founder of Romania's first youth-led gender equality organisation, Girl Up Romania, which has over 150 members across 50 cities. Her advocacy led to legislative achievements, including comprehensive sexual education, banning virginity testing, and improved measures against gender-based violence. In response to the Ukraine war, Sofia worked with fellow advocates across Eastern Europe to form a solidarity network, uniting efforts to support female refugees, and is now leading ground-breaking research at Stanford University, proposing new methods for understanding and prosecuting wartime sexual violence. Her work has led to policy changes, protests and community-building events.

Sophie Pender - The 93% Club - from England, Age 27

When Sophie started at university, she faced unexpected hostility and prejudice due to her working-class background. Her background and social class mattered more than her academic achievements in the eyes of the other students. In response, she founded The 93% Club – a student society dedicated to making university a more inclusive space for state-educated students which has since grown into a nationwide movement. Despite the challenges she faced, Sophie is a leading figure in the social mobility space and has worked with countless organisations to advance the agenda and improve the poor state of social mobility in the UK.

Uday Bhatia - Uday Electric - from India (Delhi), Age 18

On average, rural India is left in the dark for a staggering ten hours every day. In 10th grade, when Uday began mentoring students in the slums of Bichpuri, he saw how frequent power cuts rendered children unable to study or even fulfil their basic needs. To tackle the power crisis, Uday developed his groundbreaking invention, the Outage Guard bulb. This low-cost solution is designed to provide uninterrupted lighting for up to ten hours during power cuts and has resulted in 950 families receiving stable and reliable power, boosting their educational and employment opportunities.

Yusuf Ben-Tarifite - The Aspiring Medics - from England, Age 23

Yusuf founded The Aspiring Medics (TAM) to help students from diverse backgrounds pursue careers in medicine. TAM offers digital courses, work experience and interview preparation. In the last 12 months alone, they have reached over 350,000 views on their website and YouTube. TAM has provided free access to courses for over 3,000 school students, and empowers aspiring medics through role models, webinars, and diverse student stories. The organisation has also raised over £50,000 from grants and awards including from the Oxford Foundry, Santander Universities and the UK Young Innovator Award.