Prince William paid tribute to his late motherPrincess Diana on Thursday in his speech at the Diana Legacy Awards ceremony, during which the heir to the throne mentioned his wife, the Princess of Wales, and their work.

The Prince of Wales delivered a speech at the Diana Legacy Awards
“I’m thoroughly delighted as always to be here to recognize the transformational achievements of 20 exceptional young people from across the world,” the Prince of Wales began his remarks. “Each and every one of their stories, which you will hear shortly, are testament to their character, their passion and their determination to make a lasting and meaningful difference to the lives of others.”

“The paths taken by these young people have not always been easy. Many have overcome adversity and prejudice, but they are driven by courage, compassion and commitment – qualities shared by my mother,” William continued. “Their stories remind us of the importance of organizations like The Diana Award. I’ve seen on many occasions over the years how this charity empowers and mobilizes young people to take action and make the changes they want to see in their communities and in the world around them.”

The heir to the throne presented the award to the recipients on March 14
Speaking about his late mother, the Prince of Wales said, “I know that she would have been honoured to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe.”

“She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back, that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life,” Prince William added. “That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years. I’m incredibly proud to see this manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.”

The Diana Award, a charity set up in memory of the late Princess, launched the Legacy Award in 2017—the year of the 20th anniversary of her death—to celebrate Diana’s legacy and to “inspire a new generation of young people to service their communities.”

Prince Harry also made an appearance, a virtual one, at the event on Thursday. The Duke of Sussex, who lives in California, met with this year’s Legacy Award recipients via a video call. He told them, “Thank you, very much, for inspiring so many others and at the same time protecting my mother’s legacy, I really appreciate that.”