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Prince Harry spent over an hour meeting children with serious health problems ahead of the annual WellChild Award ceremony in London tonight. He arrived at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, which overlooks Hyde Park and is less than two miles from Buckingham Palace, with a beaming smile as he marks his first official engagement of his four-day stay in the UK.

The WellChild awards celebrate the achievements and resilience of seriously ill youngsters and their families. Harry has attended the awards 14 times before and has held the role of the charity's patron for 17 years. The charity is one of the few the Duke has kept since stepping down as a senior working royal in January 2020.

Harry, who has been patron of the charity for 17 years, spent time chatting with each of the winners and their families at a pre-ceremony reception andeven engaged in a play swordfight with balloons. Tonight, he will make a speech, meet and talk to seriously ill children and their families and present an award to an "inspirational child" aged between four and six.

The charity brands itself as the national UK children's charity "making it possible for children and young people with complex medical needs to thrive at home instead of hospital, wherever possible".

In a statement ahead of the visit, Harry said: "For 20 years these awards have highlighted the courage of young people living with complex health needs and shone a light on the devoted caregivers - family and professionals - who support them every step of the way. Their stories remind us of the power of compassion, connection and community."

Earlier on Monday, Harry laid a wreath and flowers in memory of his grandmother, the late Queen, on the third anniversary of her death.

He arrived in the UK on Monday morning and travelled to the late Queen's tomb in the King George VI Memorial Chapel within Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel, a spokesperson for the Sussexes said.