PRINCE Harry has sent a very “special” letter to children who have lost parents serving in the armed forces.
Revealing the impact the gesture has had, Nikki Scott of Scotty’s Little Soldiers told GB News: “So we’ve had a really good relationship, a really positive relationship with Prince Harry for quite a while now.
“He’s reached out to the charity and our members that we support quite a few times. And then we heard from his team and himself that he just really wanted to do something to make sure that they knew he was thinking of them this Remembrance.
“So yes, he sent in a letter that we then sent out to all of the children and young people we support. To just to hear from Prince Harry, it means the world, I can’t even put it into words, the feedback from the members, the children themselves has been incredible.
“Just to know what I mean, one young lady said to me, she’s 13, she said, ‘I just feel like suddenly I’m so important, Prince Harry has written to me and he remembered, he knows about us’. You can’t beat that, it’s just so special. You can’t beat that, just being remembered is so important to these children and young people.”
In the letter the Duke of Sussex, who has spoken in recent years of how he struggled to cope with the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, says:
“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 shines on,” he wrote.
“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.
“Today and every day, I admire and respect all the men and women who have given their lives in service of us – especially those in your family. I am also incredibly proud of you for being the best example in remembering them.
“When you march together in today’s parade, wearing your black and yellow scarves, I know it will be hard but equally important to do.
“I salute you for serving others in need, in the most honourable memory of your parent.
With my deepest respect, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.”
Speaking to Bev Turner on GB News, Nikki continued: “No one knows exactly how many bereaved British forces young people there are out there actually, it’s something that we try to find out constantly on a daily basis. We’ve got a long term goal of supporting 1,000 plus by 2030. And we know there are probably a lot more than that. We have new children come in and join in our charity on a regular basis, like a weekly basis, the number goes up.”
Asked how she got involved, Nikki added: “So my husband Corporal Lee Scott was killed in Afghanistan in 2009.
“I quickly realised the effects his death had on our two young children, who kind of broke.
“There were just some great UK military charities out there doing great work, but there was very limited support for bereaved British forces children who had experienced the death of a parent.
“So that’s kind of where the charity has stemmed from. And as we’ve grown, we’ve realised there was a lot more support that’s needed. And yeah, so the charity has grown with the services that we offer.”
She added: “For any child or young person who’s experienced the death of a parent is really hard. You never get over that.
And there’s triggers along the way, different milestones that the children face that will trigger those feelings and emotions.
“But I think for bereaved military children, they’re part of a military community, and then you lose that community, you get detached from that community.
Nikki told GB News: “The charity is a way of bringing them back into that community again, making sure they never feel alone…”
“The war in Ukraine, that can just really trigger the emotions and also, you know, you for myself and my children. We were living in a military garrison in Army accommodation, so not only did we have to deal with all our grief, but we had to move house, change schools, and leave all our friends behind. So, that’s why Scott is so important to keep that community together.”
