Prince Harry offers student a job: ‘give me a yell… we’ll sort it out’

Lucia Kennedy started the day with nervous butterflies but, having ended it with a job offer from Prince Harry, the self-described “happiness entrepreneur” is smiling.

The 19-year-old acted as the host for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s visit at a youth mental health event in a community cafe in Wellington’s Lyall Bay on Monday.

Before the Royal couple arrived, Kennedy admits she was a “bundle of nerves”.

But she needn’t have worried.

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Over a relaxing cup of herbal tea, Prince Harry offered the Victoria University student a job.

“They came up the stairs in the Maranui Cafe, I was introduced and basically had a chat to them. Then I took them around all the participants and kept the conversation going at the next two tables,” Kennedy said. 

“I said to Harry, ‘I finish uni in two years, I’d love to come and work for you’. He said ‘we’d love to have you, just give us a yell when you come over we’ll sort it out’.”

She just has to finish that double degree in commerce and psychology, majoring in marketing and information first.

The event was aimed at helping eradicate stigma around discussing mental health.

“It was about turning it into a everyday conversation that we relate to normally and not so much about shame.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quickly put everyone at ease.

“They were so authentic,” she said. “Everyone was nervous but as soon as they walked in it was like they brought a calming presence.”

Describing herself as a “happiness entrepreneur”, Kennedy has been working to empower others to achieve their dreams for seven years.

After being affected by the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011, Kennedy, then aged 12, created the Take A Chance project which told the stories of high achieving people.

“I was at school when the earthquake happened. We had a few family friends who passed away because of the earthquakes. We did also lose our house… we are still in the process of rebuilding that. While it has had a negative impact I wanted to do something positive,” she said.

“Even though we live in a broken city, everybody deserves opportunities.”

Last year, Kennedy founded Luminary Legacies, which aims to acknowledge those “living their best lives”.

Out of thousands of entries from around the world, her concept was selected for the Singularity University and Project He Ha Super Happiness Challenge. The only New Zealander chosen, she is also among the youngest overall selected.

“The whole project is about empowering people to be able to go on and achieve their dreams. Luminaries is my current project. It’s about acknowledgement as a catalyst for transformation and change.”

Spending an hour hosting the Royal couple and discussing mental health in a free and open way on Monday was “inspiring”.

“I realised that everyone in that cafe was bound together by a passion to bring happiness and change the world… I think we all realise as long as we are communicating and talking about it it will become a much easier thing to talk about for everyone.”

Watching and listening to the stories that were shared, Kennedy said she was impressed at the way the Duke and Duchess connected and related stories about their own lives.

“I saw Harry’s face light up when he heard about counselling offered to the defence team and New Zealand military personnel,” she said.

“He was really impressed and happy to hear that, I think.”

To celebrate the future “dream role”, Kennedy planned to go for a “nice meal”.

“I’ll probably just get my flatmates together and go celebrate,” she said.