Prince Harry Brings a Big Focus to HIV

Prince Harry Advocates for HIV Testing

Celebrities have historically played a big part in raising public awareness of health issues, and the history of the global HIV epidemic is no different. One of the landmark moments in public understanding of the disease was Princess Diana’s 1991 visit to a Toronto AIDS hospice, where she shook a patient’s hand and publicly stated, “HIV does not make people dangerous to know. You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it.” 

At a time when HIV was still shrouded in misinformation and misunderstanding, the sight of a beloved public figure interacting with AIDS patients humanized the disease and helped to dispel some of the myths around HIV. 

Princess Diana’s son Harry continues his mother’s work for AIDS advocacy and prevention. In July, the prince took to the royal family’s Facebook page to stream a live video of himself taking an HIV test at a London HIV clinic. In the video, a visibly nervous Prince Harry meets with a doctor who explains the testing procedure before taking a small blood sample and beginning the test. As he waits for results, Prince Harry talks about the stigma behind HIV testing and the urgent need for testing.

“Even for people who aren’t at risk, if we’re trying to destigmatize the testing,” Prince Harry says, “We all shouldn’t be on this side of the river pointing to this population, [saying] ‘you should get tested.’ To normalize the situation, surely it’s better for everyone to get tested.”

A ‘nervous’ Prince Harry’s public HIV Testing

Prince Harry’s Impact on HIV Testing

According to Attitude Magazine, Prince Harry’s HIV test has already had a significant impact on public awareness. The video’s popularity has reportedly driven up sales of HIV home testing kits by 500% in the weeks since it went live. In just two weeks, nearly 5,000 BioSure self-testing kits have been ordered across the United Kingdom. This surge of testing is completely unprecedented, and demonstrates the huge positive impact that Prince Harry’s test has had on awareness.

While Prince Harry’s public test marks a major milestone in HIV awareness and destimatization of testing, it is by no means the first or last advocacy effort the Prince has planned. In addition to visits to HIV clinics around the country as part of his “Feel No Shame” campaign, Harry will soon appear on stage with Elton John to continue Princess Diana’s HIV advocacy work. 

Feature image by Landrovermena via Flickr.

Prince Harry’s Facebook Live HIV Testing

Prince Harry advocates being tested for HIV by through a Facebook Live broadcast. Watch below

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