Prince Harry at the Upfront Summit: ‘Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!’

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Prince Harry was outside this week! On Thursday, he made a surprise (unannounced) appearance at the Upfront Summit, a venture capital event in LA. Serena Williams was also at the event as a speaker, so my guess is that Serena probably told Harry about the event, or maybe Serena’s manager Jill Smoller (who also reps Harry’s wife). Harry made a speech and he also did an informal Q&A session. I’m doing highlights from People Mag’s coverage because I don’t think Harry was as repetitive as they make him sound.

His investment in companies? Prince Harry assured the crowd that he had not “wandered into the wrong room,” pivoting to a discussion about how individuals and companies alike can invest in “companies that are developing technological solutions to address the root causes of societal challenges. I’ve spent the last five years — sometimes publicly but primarily quietly — investing in companies that align with my values and vision of a better tomorrow, companies that understand the power and significance of service,” he shared, noting a commitment to causes supporting “mental fitness to carbon sequestration, early education to veteran employment.”

Looking for solutions: “I’m here to talk about something that I believe will resonate with all of you as leaders, creators, builders and changemakers: How do we invest in our shared future to solve the challenges we face today as a divided society? As a dad, this has me constantly looking for solutions. As a man who was born into a life of service, I recognize that with power and a platform comes responsibility. And these days, I am determined to find and invest in solutions.”

Service to others is the cornerstone: “From my institutional role traveling the world to my decade of duties in the military, I saw the power of serving others firsthand. My personal experiences overseas taught me that when you put others first, you build stronger, more sustainable systems.That’s true from Nigeria to Nepal, and from Sydney to Santa Barbara. It’s the same approach I’ve taken in founding charities like The Invictus Games Foundation back in 2014, that supports and rehabilitates wounded and injured service personnel and veterans through sport, and more recently with The Archewell Foundation, where we show up and do good for those who need it most, supporting social impact initiatives—including digital safety and education—all under the umbrella of protecting our collective mental health.”

His evolving perspective since moving to the US: “The way that I answer the question of how we invest in our shared future is different now living in the U.S, to when I was living in the U.K. Why? Because before I moved, so much of my life revolved around charity. Since then, while my charities remain a core part of my life’s work, I’ve also been focusing on upstream solutions and prevention, driven by decisions and investments that address problems before they require fixing. Still, I’ve approached everything in my life through the lens of service.”

He’s never even voted: “I’m not one to be caught in the divide between left or right views, not cornered by a belief in blue or red. Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!”

[From People]

I bet Harry is so popular at these kinds of events with tech bros, venture capitalists and C-suite types. He honestly speaks their language (in a posh accent) and he makes them feel better about the choices they’re making. As for not voting… obviously, he can’t vote in American elections because he’s not a citizen. Technically, he was probably “allowed” to vote in the UK, but most of the Windsor clan avoids it anyway. Anyway… I wonder if he got paid for this? Or was it like my original theory, that he did this because of Serena and Jill Smoller?

always good to see and catch up with my boy prince harry. proud of you brother ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/QMjz08IcDr

— Jalen Drummond (@jalen_drummond) February 27, 2025

I did not predict Prince Harry would ever speak at @upfrontvc Summit. He’s discussing his investments focused on larger societal good and decreasing the societal split that is dividing us all. pic.twitter.com/4FKzJW8LKq

— Ben Parr (@benparr) February 27, 2025

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

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  3. Prince Harry at the Upfront Summit: ‘Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!’

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