GQ Men of the Year Awards: Prince Harry makes vaccine plea at star-studded ceremony

The British royal called for vaccine equality during an appearance at the awards show, attended by Idris Elba, Ed Sheeran and more

Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre Elba attend the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. EPA

Rege-Jean Page attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Ed Sheeran attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Quentin Tarantino attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

James Norton attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Ellie Goulding attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Himesh Patel attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Winnie Harlow attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Kingsley Ben-Adir attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Alexa Chung attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Maisie Williams attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Jourdan Dunn attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Jonathan Bailey attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

KSI attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Erin O'Connor attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Vicky McClure attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Adrian Dunbar attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Andreas Kronthaler, Chrissie Hynde and Vivienne Westwood attend the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Rafferty Law attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling attend the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Adjoa Andoh attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Ben Hardy attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Jamie Redknapp attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Neelam Gill attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. EPA

Chris Robshaw and Camilla Kerslake attend the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Hana Cross attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Merveille Lukeba attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Dermot O’Leary attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Jack O’Connell attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Raye attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. EPA

Maya Jama attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Dina Asher Smith attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Arlo Parks attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Anne-Marie attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. AP

Ed Westwick attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Ronan Keating and Storm Keating attend the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Mabel attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Pixie Lott attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Reuters

Paul Bettany, right, attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

Jack Harlow attends the GQ Men of the Year Awards at the Tate Modern on September 1, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

GQ Men of the Year Awards

Prince Harry used his surprise appearance at the GQ Men of the Year Awards to highlight the "huge disparity" in access to Covid-19 vaccines across the globe.

The British royal, 36, delivered a speech remotely from his California home at the glitzy bash, held at the Tate Modern in London on Wednesday night.

The Duke of Sussex presented an award to the team behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, using his address to urge governments to do more to vaccinate people in less developed and less financially stable countries.

Scroll through the gallery above to see all the red carpet photos from the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2021.

"Until every community can access the vaccine, and until every community is connected to trustworthy information about the vaccine, then we are all at risk," Prince Harry said.

GQ magazine named Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, Dr Catherine Green and the entire team at Oxford who developed the vaccine as its Heroes of the Year.

"The Oxford team have done their part. They are heroes of the highest order who gave us an instrument to fight this disease. They are our nation's pride, and we are deeply indebted to their service," Prince Harry said.

The night also honoured One Night in Miami ... star Kingsley Ben-Adir, who was named Breakthrough Actor of the Year, Sir Anthony Hopkins, who was given the Legend Award, and the Icon Prize went to Borat actor Sacha Baron Cohen.

The event, hosted by Idris Elba and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, drew stars including Ellie Goulding, Ed Sheeran, Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams and James Norton to the red carpet.

Director Quentin Tarantino, who won Writer of the Year, was also in attendance, as was Bridgerton star Rege-Jean Page, who won Standout Performance of the Year.

The event, which last year was held virtually owing to coronavirus-related restrictions, named Line of Duty's Adrian Dunbar Television Actor of the Year, WandaVision star Paul Bettany Leading Man of the Year, and Sheeran Solo Artist of the Year. Further musical accolades went to Band of the Year Wolf Alice and Breakthrough Music Artist of the Year Arlo Parks.

The fashion and lifestyle magazine gave the 2021 crown of Designer of the Year to Brunello Cucinelli, while Vivienne Westwood was awarded Game Changer of the Year.

– Additional reporting by Reuters