Prince Harry jokes he thought awards ceremony was supposed to be a ‘date night’ with Meghan Markle

Prince Harry has jokingly claimed that he thought he and wife Meghan Markle were going on a date night before their arrival at the Robert F Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award gala.

On Tuesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the gala in New York City, where they and other “exemplary leaders” were honoured for their efforts “to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights”.

However, according to Prince Harry, 38, he’d assumed that he and his wife had gotten dressed up to go on a date night.

“I actually thought we were just going on a date night, so I find it quite weird that we’re sharing the room with 1,500 people,” the duke told Kerry Kennedy while sitting on stage with Meghan.

The duke then acknowledged that he and Meghan “don’t get out much” because they are parents to two young children, son Archie, three, and daughter Lilibet, one.

“We don’t get out much because our kids are so small and young, so this is completely unexpected,” he continued. “It’s nice to share date night with all of you - thank you for coming!”

The claim prompted laughter from Meghan and the crowd, with the duchess then thanking her husband for bringing her on “this very special date night”.

“You’re welcome,” Harry added.

For the occasion, Meghan wore a white off-the-shoulder Louis Vuitton dress, which she accessorised with dangling earrings and Princess Diana’s aquamarine ring. Prince Harry was also dressed up for the gala, with the duke opting for a suit and black tie.

The couple’s attendance at the awards ceremony comes just days before the release of their highly anticipated Netflix docuseries. The first three episodes will air on 8 December, with the second instalment set to be released on 15 December.