harry william

Princes William and Harry write joint letter for Christmas carol service

The pair's once close relationship has been fractured

Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
December 3, 2022

The Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex put aside their differences for a special message this week, as they signed their names to a letter that was part of an order of service at the annual Henry Van Straubenzee Christmas Carol Concert.

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Attended this year by Pippa Middleton and her brother James and their spouses, the event is held to fundraise to help fight poverty in Uganda through education, and was named after Prince William and Prince Harry's friend who died in a car accident in 2002.

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Harry and Henry were classmates at Ludgrove Preparatory School in Berkshire – which was also attended by Prince William - and the royal brothers have been patrons of the fund since 2009 and have attended the church service in previous years.

Although both were unable to attend this year, they wrote a letter that was printed in the order of service, and read: "We believe everyone here tonight will agree that what Claire and Alex have achieved since 2009 is nothing short of extraordinary.

"As you gather under this roof tonight, the charity is supporting 51 nursery, primary and secondary schools in rural Uganda, where 1,700 projects have been completed and over 35,000 children, each year, are benefitting by receiving education they wouldn't have otherwise had."

"For those of us who knew Henners, we will always miss his mischievous charm and hilarious sense of humor," they continued, referencing his nickname at school.

The pair in 2009 when they were named patrons

"Henry's legacy will live on through the incredible achievements of what his mum and dad have accomplished over the years."

They concluded: "As long as funds permit, they will continue to monitor their schools, enduring that the children of south east Uganda receive that vital education, providing the opportunity to escape poverty as they grow up, and hopefully that of their own children in the future. Thank you for your continued support in making this possible, and for the everlasting support of the van family who we all love and adore."

Pippa attended the 2022 service

The brothers also wished the congregation an "enjoyable evening and very Happy Christmas".

This year Prince William was unable to attend the service as he was overseas with his wife Princess Kate on a three-day royal tour in Boston, America.

Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle were also not in attendance at the service.

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