“You are not alone”: Prince Harry pens emotional letter to bereaved children
Prince Harry has penned a letter to children whose parents have died as a result of being in the military, telling him they share a bond in losing a parent and experiencing grief.
The former royal wrote of how he learnt to cope with grief and encouraged the children to “lean into your friends” in his letter, which was shared by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers on Remembrance Sunday.
“As many of us observe and reflect on Remembrance Sunday, I wanted to write to you and let you know you are all in my thoughts and heart today,” he began.
“We share a bond even without ever meeting one another, because we share in having lost a parent. I know first-hand the pain and grief that comes with loss and want you to know that you are not alone.
Prince Harry penned a letter to children supported by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers for Remembrance Sunday. Image: Scotty’s Little Soldiers
"While difficult feelings will come up today as we pay tribute to heroes like your mum or dad, I hope you can find comfort and strength in knowing that their love for you lives and shines on. Whenever you need a reminder of this, I encourage you to lean into your friends at Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
"One of the ways I've learned to cope has been through community and talking about my grief, and I couldn't be more grateful and relieved that you have amazing people walking beside you throughout your journey.
"We all know some days are harder than others, but together those days are made easier."
Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports children who have lost a parent in the military, was founded in 2010 by Nikki Scott, whose husband Corporal Lee Scott was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 and left behind two young children.
On Sunday, 55 children and their parents took part in the Remembrance Sunday parade wearing black and yellow scarves.
A proud moment for Scotty’s 💛 #RemembranceSunday pic.twitter.com/CsD7wL9BQP
— Scotty's L Soldiers (@CorporalScotty) November 13, 2022
In his letter, Prince Harry acknowledged that taking part in the parade would be “hard but equally important to do” to raise awareness for others.
“Today you will bring new awareness to young people, just like you, who will benefit from this community of support,” he wrote.
“I salute you for serving others in need, in the most honourable memory of your parent.”
The Duke of Sussex has long supported the charity, which was one of the organisations chosen by Harry and Meghan Markle to benefit from donations they received as gifts for their 2018 wedding.
In 2017, he met with children who’d lost a military parent at a special party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
This year, he and Meghan attended a service on Remembrance Day to pay their respects to those who died in war across the US and the Commonwealth.
Image: Getty Images