Prince Harry appeared as a special guest at a Christmas party set up for bereaved military children.
The Duke of Sussex attended the virtual event hosted by charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which was set up in memory of a former Neale-Wade student.
More than 280 ‘came’ to the event hosted by the charity which aims to support children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Prince Harry (second from left at top) was at Scotty’s Little Solider’s Christmas party
Scotty’s virtual Christmas party provided a space for members of the charity to feel “connected, supported, and reminded that they are not alone”.
Prince Harry, who is Scotty’s global ambassador, joined the festive event held on Wednesday. During the online event, there was a Q&A session, where The Duke of Sussex engaged with members, sharing his own Christmas memories.
Before the party, members of Scotty’s were invited to submit questions for Prince Harry to answer.
Prince Harry (second from left at top) was at Scotty’s Little Solider’s Christmas party
The questions ranged from fun and random ones to queries about his time serving with the Armed Forces. One question touched upon what it’s like to be bereaved.
Six members of Scotty’s joined Prince Harry in answering a selection of the questions, sharing their own experiences and strengthening the feeling of community.
The Duke also shared a special message with the young people.
He told them: “It’s okay to feel however you feel at Christmas. Some people will be celebrating and happy, others feel reflective, some will be sad, and maybe you’ll experience every single one of these emotions and that’s absolutely fine. Remember you’ve got each other, you’ve got Scotty’s and you’ve got the people that love you.”
The children and young people enjoyed a series of interactive games, including building towers with cushions and making snowmen out of toilet rolls.
The virtual party was hosted by Sharky and George, expert party and event planners, ensuring the session was filled with laughter and joy.
Nikki Scott, who founded Scotty’s in 2010, following the death of her husband Cpl Lee Scott, who lived in Fenland as a teenager, in Afghanistan, said: “Christmas can be a difficult time for bereaved children and young people, but this event reminded our members that they are part of a community that cares and understands.
“We organise a number of in-person events, but having this party virtually meant it was open to all our members. We also find that after events, families are more likely to get in touch and ask for help if they are struggling.
“We offer a range of support, including 1:1 bereavement support sessions, which can make a huge difference to a family and could help prevent reaching a crisis point.”
This year, Scotty’s has supported 730 bereaved military children and young people.
The charity wants to support these children and has a long-term goal of supporting over 1,000 young people annually by 2030.