Lunch time! Dad-to-be Prince Harry stepped out sans pregnant wife Duchess Meghan in London on Thursday, April 4, for the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch. The annual event, which Harry, 34, has attended in the past, is now in its twelfth year. It was held at The Guildhall, which is considered the ceremonial and administrative center of London.
The lunch, which was hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Peter Estlin, is intended to raise money for three National Service Charities: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. Each of these organizations strives to aid soldiers and ex-service members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The cause is close to Harry’s heart, considering he served over 10 weeks in Helmand, Afghanistan, in 2007 and 2008. The Duke of Sussex ventured to Afghanistan for the second time in 2013 with the Army Air Corps for a 20-week deployment.
“After serving in the @BritishArmy for ten years, The Duke of Sussex has committed himself to promoting the welfare of members of the Armed Forces and veterans,” read a statement shared on the newly launched Sussex Royal Instagram account. “The Duke knows the lasting effects military service can have, as soldiers recover from PTS after battle or struggle to get back into the normalities of civilian life. Through his work with servicemen and women, The Duke has also seen how families benefit from extra support when their loved ones are away and adjusting to life back home.”
The statement added: “He met many soldiers and their families at the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch in London today. This is an annual event which raises money for @soldierscharity to support those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
According to the post, pregnant Meghan, 37, was “unfortunately unable to attend” Thursday’s event. She is due to welcome the couple’s first child in the coming weeks.
Speaking of baby Sussex, no royal event Harry attends these days would be complete without a mention of the little one’s impending arrival. As the royal was leaving Thursday’s engagement he was reportedly asked by the wife of a servicemen if he was looking forward to the birth of his first child.
“Of course, I am excited,” he replied. “Very excited.”
Scroll down for more photos of Prince Harry attending the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch!