Prince Harry Delivered An Emotional Speech About Influencing Baby Archie

Prince Harry has only been a father for about seven weeks now, but he's already thinking long and hard about the influence he will someday wield over his little boy. It can be a daunting thought, knowing a little person will be looking to you in their early years to help inform their choices as adults, but Prince Harry's speech about being a role model for baby Archie proves he's up for the task. And in the Duke of Sussex's message, he praised his own role model, the late Princess Diana.

The Duke of Sussex welcomed his first son, Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, on May 6 with his wife, Meghan Markle, and in the weeks since Archie's birth, Prince Harry has apparently been considering his new role as a father quite a lot. Another person who has been on his mind is Princess Diana, who who died in 1997 in a car crash in Paris, France, and it's possible her recent birthday on July 1 has brought up some memories. And with these two people at the forefront of his mind, Prince Harry gave a speech at The Diana Award National Youth Mentoring Summit on Tuesday to talk a little about the nature of being a role model and the legacy Princess Diana left behind, according to ABC News.

At the event, the Duke of Sussex spoke to a crowd of mentors and fellow attendees about how his new role as dad has affected the way he conducts himself in the world, stating, according to People:

Perhaps it's the newfound clarity I have as a father knowing that my son will always be watching what I do, mimicking my behavior, one day maybe even following in my footsteps. But it's not just my role as a father that shows me that; it's in the people I see every day that don't realize how inspirational they are to those watching.

Even if you're not royalty, I think plenty of parents out there can relate to this sentiment.

Of course, Prince Harry should be quite proud of the sort of role model he is already shaping up to be. Not only does he work with countless charities, like the Sentebale organization, which aims to help children in Africa affected by AIDS and HIV, but he is also passionate about the Invictus Games, an international adaptive multi-sport event to support wounded members of the military, which he founded in 2014. And there's a good chance the Duke of Sussex picked up his passion for helping others from his own mother, who he praised in his speech. He said, according to E! News:

My mother, Princess Diana, was a role model to so many, without realizing the impact she would have on so many lives. You don't have to be a princess or a public figure to be a role model, in fact it's equally valuable if you're not because it's more relatable. Being a role model and mentor can help heal the wounds of your own past and create a better future for someone else.

Princess Diana was an excellent role model for Prince Harry, and he continues to honor her legacy to this very day. From continuing her work to clear land mines in Angola, right on down to the gentle way he has always spoken to children (crouching down in front of them as his mother once did), it's obvious he will never forget the values she became known for during her life.

I don't know Prince Harry personally (I wish!) but I think it's safe to say he'll influence his own son, little Archie, in the same way Princess Diana did for him. And if this doesn't give you hope for the future, I'm not sure what will.