Harry shares support for bereaved military children at Christmas

The Duke of Sussex has told bereaved military children “it’s OK to feel however you feel at Christmas”.

Harry, wearing a Santa hat, joined 280 young people for a virtual festive party hosted by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers on Tuesday.

He took part in a Q&A session and also shared a special message, expressing support for bereaved children feeling mixed emotions at this time of year.

Harry said: “It’s OK to feel however you feel at Christmas.

“Some people will be celebrating and happy, other people feel reflective, some people 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 duke is a supporter of and global ambassador to the charity, which helps children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

The youngsters also took part in a series of interactive games including building towers with cushions and making snowmen out of toilet rolls.

Bethan, a 23-year-old member of Scotty’s, joined Harry in answering the Q&A session.

Her father, Warrant Officer Class 2 David Coomber, who served in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army, died in 2011 when she was nine.

Bethan said: “It was great to have so many members of Scotty’s together.

“The games were good fun and helped everyone feel involved. I felt a real connection with Prince Harry.

“The party was upbeat and in no way sombre, but Prince Harry reminded us that he understands what we have all been through and that it’s OK to feel a mixture of emotions.

“He also made it clear to us that he is part of the Scotty’s community and proud to support us, which means a lot.”

Nikki Scott, who founded Scotty’s in 2010, following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott 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.”

She added: “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 crisis point.”

Scotty’s said it had supported more than 730 bereaved military children and young people in 2024, and the charity estimates that each year 2,100 children are newly bereaved of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

Ms Scott added: “Prince Harry has been a massive supporter of Scotty’s for a number of years and having him at our virtual Christmas party made it really special and memorable for our members.”