- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry accepted the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday.
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were honored for their work through the Archewell Foundation.
- The couple also partnered with the NAACP on an award for social justice and technology.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle accepted the President's Award at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on Saturday in recognition of their public service and special achievements.
In their joint acceptance speech, the couple spoke about the legacy of the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were signed into law. Past recipients of the President's Award include LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Rihanna, Venus and Serena Williams, and Ella Fitzgerald.
"Today, we can continue that legacy by re-establishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants like the late John Lewis," Meghan said. "We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees."
Harry, who first thanked the Black community for "for welcoming me so warmly," acknowledged that his upbringing was different from that of his wife. He said he believes they were brought together for a reason.
"We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to confront injustice, and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to," Harry continued. Harry also spoke on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying the people of Ukraine "urgently need our continued support as a global community." The couple first released a statement in support of the country on Thursday.
—NAACP Image Awards® (@naacpimageaward) February 24, 2022
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Meghan and Harry wore looks by Black designers Christopher John Rogers and Ozwald Boateng onstage. Meghan said in her speech that she "couldn't be prouder of that we're doing this work together."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex founded the Archewell Foundation, a global non-profit organization, in 2020. Through the foundation, Harry and Meghan added their support to the Black Lives Matter movement and assisted in efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
The NAACP also introduced a new award this year in partnership with Harry and Meghan's foundation called the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award. The award "acknowledges and supports a new generation of leaders that are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology," according to a statement released by Archewell. The winners are awarded $100,000 to advance their work and expertise. This year's award went to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) professor and internet studies scholar Dr. Safiya Noble. Representatives for the Archewell Foundation told Insider they had no additional statement.