Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, has written a heartfelt letter of support to bereaved military children and young people supported by Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
Credit – courtesy of Archewell
In the letter, The Duke tells the children that he “understands, perhaps more than most, the weight of losing a parent at a young age”. He also says it can be “overwhelming and isolating,” and acknowledges that Remembrance is “not only time to honour the extraordinary sacrifices made by our service members but also to recognise the impact these sacrifices have on families.”
The Duke is Scotty’s Global Ambassador and has supported the charity for number of years. Scotty’s is dedicated to supporting children and young people, 0 to 25 years, who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott, following the death of her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity, which was set up in 2010, provides support and guidance to hundreds of bereaved military children and young people throughout their childhood.
This Remembrance, 53 members of Scotty’s will be gathering in London to pay tribute to their military parents. They’ll be recognisable in their distinctive black and yellow Scotty scarves as they take part in the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance and march past the Cenotaph at the National Service of Remembrance in memory of their heroes.
The scarves are worn by the members of Scotty’s to show solidarity. The yellow and black colours were chosen to match those of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, where Scotty’s namesake, Corporal Lee “Scotty” Scott, served before being killed in Afghanistan. The Duke is pictured in the Scotty’s scarf, demonstrating that he stands with members of the charity.
In The Duke’s letter, he tells the young people:
“we find strength in the love and memories left behind, and I have seen how communities like yours can offer deep comfort and healing.”
He continues:
“Scotty’s Little Soldiers embodies this spirit of community. In coming together to support one another, you not only honour the memories of your loved ones but also forge bonds that can and will carry you through the toughest times. The tears and laughter, the shared experiences, and the moments of joy you create together are powerful reminders that love endures.”
Nikki Scott, Founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, said of the letter:
“Prince Harry is completely dedicated to Scotty’s and takes his role as Global Ambassador very seriously. He understands what it is like for our members to grow up without their parent, and he also knows the sacrifices made by servicemen and women. It’s become a bit of a tradition now, for The Duke to write to our members at Remembrance. They also received letters from him in 2022 and 2023 and it means so much to them to know he is thinking about them and their parents at this proud but difficult time.”
When a young person joins Scotty’s, they become a member and are supported until their 25th birthday. Whether it be one-to-one bereavement support, a respite break with the family, an opportunity to meet others in a similar situation, or access to extracurricular activities, Scotty’s is always there for its members to ensure they don’t feel alone.
So far this year, Scotty’s has supported over 700 bereaved military children and young people. Scotty’s estimates that each year 2,100 children are newly bereaved of parent who served in the British Armed Forces*. The charity wants to support these children and has a long-term goal of supporting over 1,000 young people annually by 2030.
You can read The Duke’s letter in full HERE.
For more information about Scotty’s Little Soldiers, please visit www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk.
* Scotty’s Little Soldiers has produced estimates drawn from reliable national datasets (including the Census 2021 and MoD data).
