Spencer Matthews has spoken openly about the death of his older brother Michael, who passed away at the age of 22 in 1999. The Made in Chelsea said Michael "lives on" in his family, following his tragic death as he made his way down Mount Everest.
Michael was the youngest Briton to summit the mountain but passed away following bad weather when he was travelling back down.
© Photo: RexSpencer discussed his loss during an appearance on Loose Women on Friday, explaining: "When you lose someone, their memory lives on. It's always nice to think about them. I was ten, he was 22. He was the youngest to climb Everest."
The 26-year-old said he and his family, including his brother James – who is currently dating Pippa Middleton – continue to mark Michael's birthday every year.
"He lives on in our family. We celebrate his birthday every year," Spencer said, adding: "Whenever you feel like giving up, you always think of them and it stops you. Mike was a very tough person to live up to. We try to treat every day like he did. He was very successful."
© Photo: TwitterSpencer and his family have ensured Michael's legacy lives on by establishing the Michael Matthews Foundation. The charity provides an education to around 1200 children after constructing school buildings in remote places.
Pippa Middleton has given continuing support to the foundation by carrying out a number of sporting challenges including a 3,000 mile bike ride across the United States and a 47-mile swim-run in Sweden in 2015.
The Duchess of Cambridge's sister has been close friends with Spencer's brother James for many years. They briefly dated in 2012, and are believed to have rekindled their romance in late 2015. Pippa is believed to have already moved in to James' £17million town house in Chelsea, a sign that their relationship continues to go from strength to strength.
