Prince Harry and Sir Elton John are joining forces for a new global initiative that will combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. The longtime friends are launching the MenStar coalition, 'which will expand the diagnoses and treatment of HIV infections in men, with the aim of ultimately ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030,' Kensington Palace announced today.
The coalition will support delivering effective HIV/AIDS services for men, promote early testing, treatment, and achievement of viral suppression, the palace added on Twitter.
While speaking at the annual AIDS conference in Amsterdam, the Duke of Sussex explained that the new project was inspired by the rise of HIV infections in women and the need to educate "hard-to-reach young men" about prevention from the epidemic.
'Too many around the world are still ignoring the damaging knock-on effect on education and other community services from not prioritising HIV prevention and treatment,' he said.
The duke has been fighting AIDS for years, following in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana. In 2006, he founded the organization Sentebale, which helps children in Lesotho, Africa who have been orphaned by the epidemic.
In 2016, he famously took an HIV test in Barbados with Rihanna to raise awareness and fight stigmas about the procedure.
Sir Elton John has also been raising awareness on the illness for years, which Harry pointed out at the conference today.
'For over a quarter-century, Elton has worked tirelessly to fund research and services in communities around the world,' he said, per USA Today. 'And today, he has come to Amsterdam to announce his latest endeavor, a billion-dollar global partnership to break the cycle of male transmission of HIV, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.'
The legendary singer was close friends with Princess Diana and continued to stay close with Harry after her death. He even sang at the reception for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding in May.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
