Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have called for the world to be given equal access to Covid vaccines, something the couple said would ‘restore faith in our common humanity.’

Issuing a statement as they signed up to chair a LA event in support of vaccines, the Sussexes said: ‘Over the past year, our world has experienced pain, loss, and struggle – together. Now we need to recover and heal – together.

‘We can’t leave anybody behind. We will all benefit, we will all be safer, when everyone, everywhere has equal access to the vaccine.

‘We must pursue equitable vaccine distribution, and, in that, restore faith in our common humanity. This mission couldn’t be more critical or important.’

Harry and Meghan will join famous names from the worlds of music, film and politics at the event on May 8.

Known as Global Citizen’s Vax Live, the concert will encourage donations to Covax, which is working to provide vaccines for low and middle-income countries.

While large numbers of people have been vaccinated in the UK and US, only 0.1% of worldwide doses have been administered in low-income countries, leaving millions vulnerable.

Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans said that 60 nations still hadn’t received any Covid-19 vaccines at all as of April.

Harry and Meghan are leading the effort to raise money for Covax, which needs $19 billion to pay for vaccines in poorer countries.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will appear during the broadcast as part of the ‘We Can Do This’ initiative to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Croatian Prime Andrej Minister Plenkovic also will appear at the concert, which will be hosted by Selena Gomez and headlined by Jennifer Lopez.

Harry recently returned to the UK for the first time since moving to the US last year to attend the funeral of his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Meghan remained in the United States, having been advised not to fly while pregnant with their second child.

A trailer for Vax Live promised it will feature ‘big names and an even bigger message’.

The event will be pre-recorded at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, and air on Saturday May 8.

The UK Government has committed to sending excess vaccine doses to other nations through Covax.

But Downing Street today said the UK does not have ‘surplus doses’ to send to India, which is currently experiencing a highly deadly wave of the virus.

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