Prince Harry returned to Imperial College London for his third engagement with the Centre for Blast Injury Studies. The visit highlighted pioneering work on pediatric blast and crush injuries, including prosthetics for child amputees and new rehabilitation technologies.

He toured laboratories inside the Sir Michael Uren Hub, where researchers demonstrated advances in robotics, gait analysis, and point-of-wounding care. Imperial College President Professor Hugh Brady welcomed Harry, who joined representatives from Save the Children and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. The Duke praised the collaboration between science and humanitarian response, noting the progress made since he first opened the Centre in 2013.

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Focus on Children in Conflict Zones

The Centre’s work began with the Paediatric Blast Injury Partnership, launched in 2017 by Imperial College and Save the Children. It started as a single workshop and developed into a global network. That collaboration produced the Paediatric Blast Injury Field Manual, now used by frontline responders in conflict zones. In 2023, the work expanded again with the creation of the Centre for Paediatric Blast Injury Studies. The new centre unites medics, engineers, humanitarians, and policymakers.

During a roundtable, Harry and experts discussed the urgent realities facing children in Gaza. The conversation explored medical evacuation, mental health support, and long-term rehabilitation. Pediatric nurse Becky Platt shared her experiences from Gaza, describing the children she treated and the need for ongoing psychological care alongside surgery and prosthetics. Dr. Tedros praised the Duke’s efforts, saying he was especially pleased by the focus on children in Gaza.

Archewell Grants Announced for Global Partnerships

At the close of the visit, Harry announced three new grants totaling $500,000 from the Archewell Foundation. One grant will support the Imperial College Centre for Blast Injury Studies in developing prostheses for children in Gaza and Ukraine. Another will go to the World Health Organization to aid medical evacuations from Gaza to Jordan. A third will support Save the Children’s ongoing humanitarian work in Gaza.

“Gaza now has the highest density of child amputees in the world and in modern history. It takes partnerships across government, science, medicine, humanitarian response, and advocacy to ensure children survive and can recover after blast injuries.” — Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

Harry emphasized that no single organization can solve the challenge alone and called for sustained partnerships between governments, scientists, medics, and humanitarians. The Sussexes’ contribution through Archewell demonstrates their continued focus on global child welfare, aligning philanthropy with urgent needs in conflict zones.

Final Thoughts

The Archewell Foundation’s donation shows Harry and Meghan’s commitment to children caught in war. By funding prosthetic development, medical evacuations, and humanitarian aid, they have directed resources to where they are most needed. Their efforts also highlight the importance of collaboration across institutions, reminding the public that behind every dataset and laboratory report lies a child whose life has been upended by violence.

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