Like many events all over the world, Prince Edward had to conduct this year's Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in the virtual world. As the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders are still in place to stop the spread of coronavirus, the Earl of Wessex didn't have any choice but to do the event with his celebrity friends over the internet.
According to Daily Mail, over 8,000 people were supposed to be at the St. James Palace in Buckingham for his father, Prince Philip's, yearly awards ceremony. Since the event was canceled because of the pandemic, Prince Edward turned to social media to honor the recipients.
In a video post, the Earl of Wessex sent a "huge, enormous, gigantic gold-colored" greetings to the thousands of young people who were supposed to get the Gold Award in person. Prince Edward said that he is touched by the testimonies of these recipients as they talked about how much the Duke of Edinburgh's foundation has been making a difference in their lives. He also commended the recipients for their efforts in their local communities.
Prince Edward rallied many of his celebrity friends to congratulate the awardees. They were also supposed to present at the ceremony had it not been canceled. Among those who gave short messages were Hugh Bonneville, Iain Glen, Judy Murray and Marvin Humes.
The Earl of Wessex has been the trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards since 1988. It was set up by his father in 1956 to inspire young people from the ages of 14 to 24.
Prince Edward once openly joked about mounting this massive event year after year and said that he often wondered why they had to do it. However, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip said that it is important to recognize those who are using their skills and resources to contribute to the community. So, the award is a way to thank these people doing their own good to benefit the vulnerable.
Last year, Princess Eugenie helped Prince Edward host the award. While the York princess is not in this year's video, she is also doing her own thing to show her appreciation to those who are making a difference.
Together with the rest of the York royals, Princess Eugenie has been distributing care packages to medical frontliners who have been helping thousands of COVID-19 patients. She has also been touching base with her own charities to ensure that the people who need help will get the support.
