The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to receive a special award at the NAACP Image Awards.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry – who have been married since 2018 and have Archie, two, and Lilibet, eight months, together – are set to receive the President’s Award at the upcoming National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awards ceremony.
In a statement, the couple said: “It’s a true honour to be recognised by President Derrick Johnson and the NAACP, whose efforts to propel racial justice and civil rights are as vital today as they were nearly 115 years ago.”
The association explained that the royal couple were receiving the honour for “heeding the call to social justice” around the world.
Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, said: “We’re thrilled to present this award to Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who together have heeded the call to social justice and have joined the struggle for equity both in the US and around the world. Not only do they continue to lead by example, The Duke and Duchess have also decided to inspire the next generation of activists through the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, ensuring the support and recognition of generations of civil rights leaders to come.”
The Duke and Duchess have also joined forces with the NAACP for a new annual award through their Archewell foundation and explained how “proud” they were to present the inaugural award to Dr. Safiya Noble, a professor who specialising in how digital technologies intersect with culture, race and gender.
The couple said: “We’re proud to support the NAACP’s work and to also partner with the organization on the newly created annual NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which will be bestowed to Dr. Safiya Noble as part of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.”
Upon receiving the award, the Duke and Duchess will join the likes of Muhammad Ali, Rihanna, LeBron James, Bill Clinton and Venus and Serena Williams – who have been all received the prestigious award in the past.
The 53rd NAACP Image Awards is set to air on 26.02.2022 and will feature a performance from soul superstar Mary J Blige, as well as appearances from celebrities inclduing Samuel L. Jackson and Zendaya.
