Prince Harry on Wednesday virtually honored those fighting for racial justice at the 2020 Diana Awards on what would have been his mother Princess Diana s 59th birthday.

The Duke of Sussex sent a powerful message to the recipients of the award, who range in age from 9 to 25 and have made an incredible impact through their social or humanitarian work .

The Diana Award is a charity set up on behalf of the late Princess of Wales to support and empower young people who are going above and beyond in their communities.

I am so incredibly proud to be part of these awards, as they honor the legacy of my mother, Harry said at the beginning of his surprise appearance. I know that my mother has been an inspiration to many of you, and I can assure you she would have been fighting your corner.

He added, Like many of you, she never took the easy route. Or the popular one. Or the comfortable one. But she stood for something. And she stood up for people who needed it.