Prince Harry, Elton John attend AIDS conference in Amsterdam

July 24 (UPI) -- British royal Prince Harry and music superstar Elton John attended an AIDS conference together in Amsterdam.

Kensington Palace said Tuesday the 33-year-old duke of Sussex and 71-year-old singer and musician helped launch the MenStar coalition at the 2018 International AIDS Conference.

John's Elton John AIDS Foundation worked with Johnson & Johnson and several other partners to raise over $1.2 billion in initial planned funding for the coalition, according to a Johnson & Johnson press release.

"Preparing for #AIDS2018 Plenary Session with @EltonOfficial - where The Duke and Sir Elton will launch 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 captioned a photo of Harry with John.

Harry praised John, a longtime family friend, during a speech at the conference. John previously worked with the prince's late mom, Princess Diana, to bring awareness to HIV/AIDS and AIDS prevention.

"I am honored to be sharing the stage with someone who has always put people at the center of his work -- Sir Elton John," Harry said, according to Entertainment Tonight.

"For over a quarter of a century, Elton has worked tirelessly to fund research and services in communities around the world. 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."

Harry lauded the MenStar coalition as an "energetic and innovative" solution to the AIDS epidemic.

"New, energetic and innovative solutions are needed more than ever before -- and that is exactly what you are about to see from @eltonofficial and the Men Star Coalition partners," he said, according to Kensington Palace.

MenStar will provide HIV/AIDS services for men with the goal of increasing earlier uptake of testing, treatment and achievement of viral suppression.