The Duke of Sussex says his family have three “emotional support dogs”.
Prince Harry, 38, opened up about the importance of his black Labrador, Pula, as well as rescue beagles Guy and Mia in a video call from his £11 million (more than R221m) mansion in California with the winners of 2022’s WellChild Awards.
The duke said about the dogs: “Between the three of them they charge around chasing squirrels and causing all sorts of problems for us every day.
“But they’re also emotional support dogs – 100%! When they’re behaving.”
Speaking at his home in Montecito, where he lives with the Duchess of Sussex, 41, and their children Archie, three, and 16-month-old Lilibet, Harry appeared moved during the call when he was told by one of his fans he would have made his late mum Diana proud.
His call was released on Monday and showed his conversations with each of the WellChild award winners in turn.
When Henry Waine, four, from East Yorkshire – who won the inspirational child aged four to seven category – asked the duke: “How are Archie and Lilibet doing?”
Harry responded: “They’re doing great.
“Archie is very, very busy and Lili is learning to use her voice, which is great.”
He also told the youngster: “You sound just like my son Archie. The same little squeaky voice. I love it.”
Isabelle Delaney, 13, named inspirational young person aged 12 to 14, and her family, who live in the West Midlands, were joined on the call by the teenager’s labradoodle Hope.
Tony Hudgell – who was so badly abused at the hands of his birth parents that he had to have his legs amputated – was also on the call, in recognition of the eight-year-old raising more than £1.7m for Evelina Children’s Hospital with his challenge of walking every day of June in 2020 on his prosthetic legs.
He asked Harry what his favourite crisps were, with the duke saying: “Salt and vinegar – could be Walkers, could be anything as long as it’s salt and vinegar.”
Harry added about Tony’s survival: “I’m thanking you for your resilience, your determination, your bravery, your strength your everything. You seem like a bit of a superhero” – with Tony leaving the duke laughing when he replied: “A bit.”