Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas on Thursday night to present the Walter Payton Man of the Year award just days after visiting his estranged father, King Charles III, following his cancer diagnosis.
The Duke of Sussex presented Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward with the award, but before doing so, he graced the crowd with a bit of humor.
Cameron Hayward (L) of the Pittsburgh Steelers poses for a portrait after winning the Walter Payton Man of the year with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex at the 13th Annual NFL Honors on February 8, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
“I really love how you stole rugby from us, and you made it your own – instead of passing it backwards, just passing it forwards,” he said.
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“Why not wear pads and a helmet? Of course, have an offense and defense – that makes sense. And why not take a breather every 15 seconds? And you know what? Instead of a 10-month season, let’s just make it 18 weeks. Genius!”
Heyward, who created the Heyward House Foundation in honor of his late father, was shocked to see Prince Harry on stage.
PRINCE HARRY LEAVES UK AFTER KING CHARLES VISIT WITHOUT MEETING WITH PRINCE WILLIAM
“Oh, man. Prince freaking Harry,” Hayward said in astonishment. “Man, I’m in shock. That’s Prince Harry.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex presents the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award at the 13th Annual NFL Honors on February 8, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
But perhaps less surprising was Prince Harry’s omission of anything relating to his father and the news surrounding his health.
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Prince Harry flew more than 5,000 miles earlier this week to visit King Charles III, who is undergoing cancer treatment less than 18 months into his reign.
King Charles left The London Clinic on January 29 after undergoing a corrective procedure for a benign prostate enlargement. During this procedure, it was discovered he had cancer. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
According to The Associated Press, his trip lasted around 24 hours, during which he spent less than an hour with his father at Clarence House, the king’s London home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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