Prince Harry admits 'missing rugby' since virus lockdown during video appearance

Prince Harry made a surprise appearance on a video call in support of England Rugby's campaign. He made the call from his Los Angeles home, where he is currently in lockdown with his wife Meghan Markle and son Archie.

Prince Harry got on video call with Men's captain Owen Farrell, women's captain Sarah Hunter, former England player Jonny Wilkinson and coach Eddie Jones to show appreciation to the community who has been working to support the community during the pandemic. Speaking on the video, the Duke of Sussex expressed his love for the game and how much he misses it.

"We all miss rugby," Prince Harry made a rare admission on the video call that was posted by England Rugby's official Instagram account on Wednesday. The duke is a royal patron for the Rugby league. It was earlier announced that he will continue to be its patron despite stepping down as senior royal with his wife Meghan Markle.

"This pandemic might have paused the game, but it hasn't taken away our spirit," he added.

The clip opens with a glimpses from empty stadiums as the games were suspended in March due to coronavirus outbreak and subsequent lockdown. The teams have since then been taking the initiative to combat coronavirus and support the vulnerable.

"When the game was paused, the rugby family came together as one. Thank you from all of us at England Rugby," reads the caption for the video on Instagram. They turned their clubhouse into a food hub in support of those in need during the time of the pandemic.

The video also references England Rugby's "Pitch In" campaign which was launched during the lockdown. The campaign is initiated with the objective of the rugby team members supporting their local communities.

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are settling in their new residence at Los Angeles, they have been devoting time to support the community through their philanthropic efforts during the time of the pandemic.

Recently, the couple visited Homeboy Industries, a community social justice organisation committed to training and support to people who were formerly incarcerated or were involved in gangs in Los Angeles.