Harry and Meghan's Surprise Humanitarian Mission to Jordan
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made an unexpected humanitarian visit to Jordan this week, marking their first international tour since 2024. The couple traveled at the personal request of World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, demonstrating their continued commitment to global humanitarian causes despite stepping back from royal duties in 2020.
Hospital Visits and Refugee Camp Engagements
The visit began with an emotional stop at a specialty hospital in Jordan's capital, Amman, where Harry and Meghan met with a 14-year-old burn victim from Gaza. The couple then traveled to the Za'atari Refugee Camp, home to thousands of Syrian refugees and others displaced by regional conflicts. During their camp visit, they engaged in various activities including playing soccer with Syrian refugees, listening to traditional Arabic music performed by teen girls, and hearing performances by local musicians on guitar and violin.
British Ambassador Philip Hall expressed appreciation for their visit, stating: "Your visit, your support, your appreciation of the efforts that the United Nations, including of course, the World Health Organization, the government of Jordan and others, are making here is enormously appreciated."
Diplomatic Meetings and Regional Discussions
During their two-day trip, Harry and Meghan participated in a roundtable discussion with officials from the WHO, United Nations, and diplomatic representatives from Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. Ambassador Hall emphasized the importance of regional peace during these discussions, noting: "It requires, in particular, peace between Palestine and Israel and the two-state solution — that's easily said, we all know it's very hard to achieve, but we're all working on that too."
The couple also met with Jordanian leaders and senior health officials, with plans to visit front line health and mental health workers. They are expected to meet with World Central Kitchen staff who are providing essential food assistance to people in Gaza.
Timing Amid Royal Family Crisis
The humanitarian visit comes during a particularly turbulent period for the British monarchy. The Royal Family is currently dealing with the fallout from last week's arrest of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. British police are investigating allegations that he supplied trade secrets to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a trade envoy.
Prince Harry has not publicly commented on the turmoil affecting his family, choosing instead to focus on humanitarian work. This Jordan visit represents their first international tour since a four-day trip to Colombia in August 2024, where they spoke with teenagers about social media's impact on mental health.
Jordan has served as a refuge for decades, hosting Palestinians, Syrians, and more recently, those fleeing conflict in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas fighters in Israel. Harry and Meghan's visit highlights the ongoing challenges faced by vulnerable communities affected by conflict and displacement in the region.
