William & Harry’s Sound Relief Message to Disaster Victims

The rain couldn’t keep the Melbournians away from the MCG on Saturday, likewise the SCG in Sydney; to attend the sold-out Sound Relief concert to benefit the victims of last month’s Victorian Black Saturday bushfires and the Queensland floods. And it wasn’t only the top-grade music line-up to receive rapturous applause: when Princes William and Harry appeared on the big screens in both venues via a pre-recorded video, the crowds cheered.

The Princes first apologised for not being able to attend the events in person, before Prince William began, “Like so many people throughout the world, both of us have watched the devastating news of the catastrophic bushfires in Victoria and floods in Queensland. For those survivors who have lost someone they love, we can only imagine what they are going through … for them, and for all those left injured & homeless, the tragedy is far from over.” The second-in-line also paid tribute to the emergency service workers, “We almost must never forget the amazing and heroic efforts of the emergency services … who have done so much to save so many lives.”

Harry then continued, “Today, you will all be enjoying these great performers who have generously given their time to honour those who have died and been hurt and those who risked their lives to save others. The line-up looks amazing and the concert is a magnificent effort by the Australian Music Community to pay tribute in the way they know best. And of course all the funds raised will go a long way to help those who have lost so much. We just want to wish a great, and no doubt moving, evening to all of you performers and crowd alike.”

The Princes’ video message follows the royal family’s support of the bushfire appeal; with both Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne donating to the fund, as well as Princess Anne attending the memorial service held on February 22nd in Melbourne. William and Harry also showed their support on February 24th, when they arrived at the Australian High Commission in London wearing yellow ribbons to sign the condolence book.

The Sound Relief concert was organised in the space of a mere three weeks; and pulled in the biggest names in Australian music, as well as several international superstars. Coldplay and Kings of Leon (both of whom had sold-out concerts that night in Sydney and Melbourne respectively), along with an ill American country sensation Taylor Swift, were all there to help raise over $AU5,000,000 for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal; joining local artists such as Jet, Wolfmother, Midnight Oil and Kylie Minogue, who flew in from London earlier Saturday morning. The crappy weather could not dampen the spirits of 80,000+ MCG goers, who doned plastic ponchos and refused to be driven away by some rain. The event is the largest paid concert in Australian history.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Australia, Concert, Music, Natural Disaster, Prince Harry of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge.