Prince Harry has a surrogate family, men and women who have come into his life over the years and filled the void of mother, father, sister and brother. Prince Seeiso is one of those people. Harry met Seeiso when he was a teenager in Lesotho. They became lifelong friends, and Harry recently traveled to Lesotho for the first time in years. He spent time with Seeiso and his Lesotho family and they checked in on the continued work of Sentebale, the charity Harry and Seeiso started back in 2006. When Harry plays polo, those are often charity matches to benefit Sentebale. Now Harry and Seeiso are unveiling an art exhibition in NYC to benefit Senebale:
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho’s charity, Sentebale, is preparing to unveil something special in New York City.
PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that Sentebale has partnered with Ki Smith Gallery for an art exhibition titled “Friend,” which will open to the public on Saturday, Dec. 14. The exhibition, running until Jan. 19, will be free to attend, with an option for visitors to make on-site donations to Sentebale. Members of the public can RSVP to attend through the gallery’s website. The display will feature works by pioneers of Minimalism and Op Art alongside contemporary artists, with 100% of the gallery’s profits from the display donated to Sentebale, which uplifts young people in Lesotho and Botswana.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso said, “This collaboration with Ki Smith and his gallery is incredibly meaningful to the organization. Having Ki join us in Lesotho this past October to see Sentebale’s work firsthand, and to experience the creativity, resilience and determination of the young people we serve, was truly special. ‘Friend’ is making art accessible to everyone—an act that resonates deeply with Sentebale’s ethos of leaving no one behind. This exhibition captures the spirit of inclusivity and community that lies at the heart of both Sentebale and Ki Smith Gallery. Sharing art as a powerful force for connection and change, is inspiring.”
The Duke of Sussex will attend an intimate launch party on Wednesday, Dec. 4, to officially kick off the exhibit.
Ah, this is another reason why Harry was happy to sign on to the NY Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday. He knew he would already be in town for this art exhibit opening. So Harry will be flying solo in New York for at least two events on Wednesday – DealBook Summit and then this art reception. Man, Harry has a lot of business in New York these days. It might be time to invest in a safe and secure apartment in town, maybe?
Photos courtesy of Getty.