Prince Harry was left emotionally moved by a performance from Sydnie Christmas at David Foster's charity gala in Canada over the weekend.
The Duke of Sussex told the 31-year-old singer, who triumphed on Britain's Got Talent in 2024, he "felt it in the back of my throat" after her rendition of Tomorrow, from the film Annie, and Frank Sinatra's My Way.
Both songs carry themes of resilience and perseverance through hardship - lyrics that evidently struck a chord with Harry, who has faced no shortage of personal difficulties in recent times.
Speaking from Canada after the event, Ms Christmas described the encounter as deeply memorable, with the prince approaching her directly after she stepped off stage.
She revealed to The Sun that the interaction began before: "When I was on stage, I joked about meeting his dad before adding, 'Sorry he couldn't make it. He sent me instead'."
However, the singer admitted: "Oh my god - I say such silly things when I'm nervous, but Harry started laughing."
It was after her set, however, that the truly memorable exchange took place.
The prince made his way towards her and offered words that clearly left an impression.
"And he went, 'Sydnie, I felt every word. I really felt that in the back of my throat'," Ms Christmas recounted.
Harry then broke royal protocol by pulling the singer into an embrace.
"He just went in for the hug, and I was like, 'Why not?'," Ms Christmas said.
She later shared a photograph of her meeting with Harry on Instagram, describing it as "an absolute pinch me moment" and calling the duke "the most loveliest soul."
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Her followers were quick to respond with enthusiasm.
Among the comments, one fan wrote: "Can't believe he's so star-struck to see you," while another praised her for "hob-knobbing with royalty again."
A third said: "I can't tell who is more enamoured with whom here!"
It was not the first time the BGT champion had found herself in the company of royalty, having previously performed before King Charles at the Royal Variety Show.
Beyond her royal encounter, Christmas also offered a glimpse of what lies ahead musically.
Her new single Spirit is set to drop next week, taken from her second album The Artist, which is scheduled for release on October 2.
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