Prince Harry found himself at the centre of an unexpected moment during a major speech in New York after a teleprompter problem suddenly brought his address to a halt.
The Duke of Sussex was speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting on September 23, where he discussed the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the potential risks it could create for children and families.
Harry had been delivering a serious warning about the need to protect young people from online harm when the teleprompter stopped working.
After reaching the end of the section he could see, Harry paused before saying, “And that’s it.” He then appeared unsure about what to do as he walked across the stage.
The unexpected technical issue eventually forced him to leave the stage while the problem was being resolved. A spokesperson for the Duke later confirmed that the interruption was caused by a fault with the teleprompter.
Harry returned to the stage later to complete his speech, but instead of ignoring the awkward moment, he used humour to address what had happened.
When he came back, Harry told the audience, “Hello again,” before joking that AI had somehow got into his speech. He then added that it was interesting to see what the technology had been concerned about.
The light-hearted comeback came after Harry had spent much of his speech discussing serious concerns about artificial intelligence and its growing role in children's lives.
Harry warned that AI could go beyond simply attracting attention and could increasingly become involved in people's relationships. He said children could be particularly affected as technology becomes more personal and persuasive.
The Duke also stressed that the world should not wait years before responding to the potential risks associated with emerging technology.
His appearance at the New York event marked another major public engagement as he continues speaking about online safety, technology and the protection of young people.
The teleprompter glitch created an unexpected interruption, but Harry's humorous response allowed him to turn the awkward stage moment into one of the most memorable parts of his appearance.
Key Takeaways
- Prince Harry's speech at the Clinton Global Initiative was interrupted by a teleprompter fault.
- The Duke had been discussing artificial intelligence and online risks facing children.
- Harry briefly left the stage after the technical problem stopped the teleprompter.
- He later returned to complete the remainder of his address.
- Harry used humour when he returned, joking that AI had got into his speech.
- He also warned about the growing influence of AI on children's attention and relationships.
