Prince Harry Reveals What He's Been Missing from the U.K. While in Lockdown in L.A.
Prince Harry is known for his love of rugby — and relocating to Los Angeles with Meghan Markle and 1-year-old son Archie amid the lockdown seems to have made him appreciate the game even more.
"We all miss rugby," Harry admits in an Instagram video posted by England Rugby on Wednesday, looking tanned and healthy in an outside area of his new home of L.A.
While rugby has been totally suspended in the U.K. since March 20 due to its close-contact, highly-physical nature, the Duke of Sussex added that the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic still "hasn't taken away our spirit" — a reference to the community ethos the game prides itself on.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince Harry
The Instagram video forms part of England Rugby's "Pitch In" campaign, which has been launched during the U.K.'s coronavirus lockdown to help English rugby teams support their local communities by hosting charity events at their clubhouses or using them to provide food to key workers and those most in need of help.
"When the game was paused, the rugby family came together as one. Thank you from all of us at England Rugby 🌹," England Rugby posted alongside the video, which features current England captain Owen Farrell and 2003 World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson, who played extensively alongside Harry's cousin-in-law Mike Tindall.
A lifelong fan of the game, Harry is the Honorary President of England Rugby and traveled to Yokohama, Japan, in November 2019 to watch the team play in the World Cup Final against South Africa.
Although England didn’t win the match, losing 32-12, Harry gave South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a big hug afterward, in a sweet moment captured on the now-defunct Sussex Royal Instagram account.
“Tonight was not England’s night, but the whole nation is incredibly proud of what @EnglandRugby have achieved over the past few months," Harry wrote. "Hold your heads high boys, you did an outstanding job and we couldn’t have asked more from you.”
Handout/World Rugby via Getty Images Prince Harry with players
Afterward, the duke also visited with some of the winning South African athletes, as he congratulated the team on becoming world champions.
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Away from rugby, Harry and Meghan have been busy helping out Homeboy Industries, a community social justice organization working to improve the lives of formerly incarcerated and previously gang-involved people in L.A.
THANK YOU to Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for their visit yesterday! Our Bakery & Café teams were thrilled to have them work alongside us to #FeedHOPE to Los Angeles | 📷Credit: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Help provide hope today: https://t.co/IlNLw33nL9 pic.twitter.com/HDFusnhmkk— Homeboy Industries (@HomeboyInd) June 24, 2020
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were just 'Harry and Meghan' to the homies," Father Greg Boyle, the group's founder said about the visit, which saw the couple prepare food for the #FeedHOPE program alongside the group's participants ("Homies") working in the café and bakery.
"They rolled up their sleeves and deeply engaged with our workers in the bakery and café. It was immediate kinship and heartening in its mutuality.”
On Wednesday PEOPLE confirmed that Harry and Meghan have also taken the next big step in their post-royal life, by signing with the New York-based Harry Walker Agency for speaking engagements.
Their new venture, which was first reported by the Los Angeles Times, will see the couple engage in keynote speeches with trade associations, corporations and community forums. They will also continue to focus on social issues such as racial injustice, gender equality, mental health and environmental concerns.
