Prince Harry becomes newest member of Coldplay during HIV charity concert

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The prince joined the band as he continues to shine the spotlight on the ongoing need for action.

Coldplay welcomed a new member to their line-up earlier this week, as Prince Harry joined them onstage during a one-off charity concert at Kensington Palace raising money to fight HIV/Aids.

The first ever pop concert on the Palace’s East Lawn was organised by the Prince’s charity Sentebale, to raise funds and awareness of issues facing young people affected by HIV/Aids in Africa.

Prince Harry becomes newest member of Coldplay during HIV charity concert

Prince Harry apologised to the band for the fact that a statue of Queen Victoria in the Palace’s garden had its back to the stage, “surely the only person who has ever had their back to Coldplay.

“I’m sure she would have been a massive Coldplay fan,” he added.

During the concert’s finale Harry – together with Sentebale co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and a 12-strong choir from the southern African kingdom – accompanied Coldplay to sing their hit Up & Up.

Earlier this week, Kensington Palace announced that the Prince plans to step up his fight against HIV/Aids with a new series of engagements and meetings to shine a spotlight on the ongoing need for action.

Next month, he will travel as Sentebale Patron to Durban, South Africa for the 2016 International Aids Conference to meet leaders in the field and to speak to the assembled delegates.

The Prince has previously paid tribute to his mother Diana for “smashing the stigma” on HIV, saying he hopes she would be proud of him for continuing her work.

“I don’t consciously channel myself down certain avenues specifically because I think my mum would be proud,” he said.

Prince Harry becomes newest member of Coldplay during HIV charity concert

“But she sure as hell would be proud of me, hopefully, that I’m doing it.”

The royal has also worked with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.