Prince Harry Appears at NFL Honors After Quick Trip to See King Charles III

Just days after Prince Harry flew to the U.K. on a quick trip to see his cancer-stricken father King Charles III, he made a surprise appearance at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas on Thursday.

The royal was on hand to present the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award to Pittsburgh Steelers player Cameron Heyward.

Harry told the crowd, "Good evening, NFL. It's an honor to be with you all tonight."

The Duke of Sussex went on to joke, "I really love how you stole rugby from us, and you made it your own. Instead of passing it backwards, just pass it forwards. Why not wear pads and a helmet? Of course, have an offense and defense, that makes sense. And why not take a breather every 15 seconds? And you know what? Instead of a 10-month season, let's just make it 18 weeks. Genius."

He continued, "All kidding aside, all you guys do on and off the field is truly remarkable. You are role models for millions in the way you carry yourselves and in the way you give back. This final award, the highest honor, is all about serving your community. And there's one special man we'd like to pay tribute to now. A player who goes above and beyond and whose extraordinary commitment to helping others is a reflection of his own story."

As Heyward accepted the award, he exclaimed, "Man, Prince freaking Harry. Man, I'm in shock. That's Prince Harry.”

Just days earlier, he visited Charles and Queen Camilla at Clarence House, reportedly for just 45 minutes. This was their first meeting since Charles’ coronation in May.

A source told People magazine, "That is good. Hopefully [Harry] will bring the grandchildren at some point, too, as that would be lovely for all of them."

As for the king’s health, Buckingham Palace announced on Feb. 5 that Charles was diagnosed with a “form of cancer” and is now undergoing “regular treatments.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later told BBC News, "Like everyone else, we're shocked and sad, and just all our thoughts are with him and his family. Thankfully, this has been caught early and now everyone will be wishing him, that he gets the treatment that he needs and makes a full recovery. That's what we're all hoping and praying for."