Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has praised the Duke of Sussex for ‘normalising HIV testing’ and fighting the ‘stigma’ of the virus around the world.
The pair hugged as they met each up for a rugby event at Twickenham Stoop, home of Premiership Rugby club Harlequins, this morning.
It comes after Thomas revealed he was living with the diagnosis in an emotional interview in September.
The former Wales captain said he was driven to suicidal thoughts as a result of the virus and feared being ostracised due to a ‘lack of knowledge’ about HIV.
He met Prince Harry alongside players from the London-based Kings Cross Steelers – who style themselves as the world’s first gay rugby club – and others from Premiership Rugby club Harlequins, to raise awareness about the issue.
Thomas, who has today been named as a member of the Terrence Higgins Trust’s new HIV Commission, said: ‘I spoke out about living with HIV, not for me but for all those people who are struggling and don’t have a platform.
‘For them, I want to do everything I can to challenge stigma and outdated views about HIV.
‘That’s why I’m thrilled to be joining the HIV Commission because I want to be a part of a positive change and play a role in driving us towards our goal where no-one else contracts HIV.’
Thomas was the highest-profile sportsman in the UK to reveal he was gay when he came out in 2009.
He said he was forced to reveal his HIV diagnosis after a tabloid newspaper threatened to publish it.
The ex-fullback, who captained both Wales and the British Lions, is thought to be the first UK sportsman to go public about living with HIV.
Prince Harry praised Thomas for revealing he is HIV positive.
The pair decided to work together after the duke texted the Welshman asking to chat a few days after he revealed his HIV status in a Twitter video which has since been watched almost five million times.
The duke and the sportsman met club players at the Twickenham Stoop ahead of National HIV Testing Week, which will run from November 16 to 22.
Got a story for Metro.co.uk?
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.