Today, ahead of Remembrance Sunday, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex shared a message with the young members of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity for bereaved British Forces children and young people. The Duke, who has been involved with the charity since 2017, was recently asked to be its first-ever Global Ambassador.
Nikki Scott, Founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, said:
“We are really excited Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex is joining Scotty’s as a Global Ambassador. He’s supported Scotty’s for a number of years and having been bereaved as a child himself and having served in the British Armed Forces, including deploying to Afghanistan, Prince Harry resonates with our members. They know he truly understands them and the challenges they face as bereaved military children. The Duke is also able to use his profile to help raise awareness of the charity, meaning that we can reach and support more children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.”
The Duke of Sussex met Scotty’s founder Nikki Scott and some of the charity’s members at Party at the Palace in 2017. This was an event held at Buckingham Palace by Prince Harry and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they were known at the time, specifically for bereaved British Forces children and young people. When Prince Harry married Meghan in 2018, Scotty’s was selected as one of the charities to benefit from donations to mark the couple’s wedding ceremony.
In December 2019, Prince Harry recorded a special message for Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ members, which was played at their annual Christmas party. The party is an opportunity for bereaved military children to come together and helps them feel less alone. In the message, Prince Harry dressed up as Father Christmas and reassured the children and young people that their parents wouldn’t be forgotten and that they have a supportive community around them. When Scotty’s founder Nikki was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s 2021 Honours List, The Duke wrote her a personal letter of congratulations.
Knowing Remembrance is a proud but emotional time, in November 2022, The Duke wrote a special letter to members of Scotty’s to offer his support, then in December the same year, he recorded a video message which was showed at Scotty’s Christmas party. The party’s theme was Heroes and Villains, so Prince Harry got into the spirit of things by dressing as Spider-Man, putting a smile on the faces of Scotty’s members.
In his new role, The Duke will support Scotty’s Little Soldiers to give a voice to bereaved military children, reach more families in need, and discover potential opportunities for collaboration and growth in the military and veteran community globally.
Click HERE to view the full letter from The Duke to members of Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
To pledge your support to bereaved military children and young people, go to www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk
