Prince Harry surprised children at a virtual Christmas party© Getty

Prince Harry wears Santa hat as he makes surprise appearance

The Duke of Sussex supported a cause close to his heart

Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
7 hours ago

The Duke of Sussex delivered some festive cheer as he shared a heartwarming message for bereaved military children.

Prince Harry, 40, donned a Santa's hat as he dialled into the virtual festive party hosted by a charity close to his heart, Scotty's Little Soldiers, on Tuesday.

Speaking from his Montecito home, the father-of-two joined 280 young people for the event and took part in a Q&A where he shared his own Christmas memories.

Expressing his support for bereaved children feeling mixed emotions at this time of year, Harry said: "It's okay 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."

Harry donned a Santa hat as he joined the party from Montecito© Scotty's Little Soldiers
Harry donned a Santa hat as he joined the party from Montecito

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."

© Getty
Harry served in the Army for ten years

The Duke has been open about his own experiences with grief, having lost his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales in tragic circumstances, when he was just 12.

Harry became a global ambassador for Scotty's Little Soldiers last year, which helps children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

He's been involved with the charity for the last seven years, and dressed up as Spider-Man to record a special message for their Christmas party in 2022.

WATCH: Harry dresses as Spider-Man for moving Christmas message

Earlier this year, Harry also made a surprise visit to one of the charity's family events, as he returned to the UK to attend the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Scotty's Little Soldiers was also one of seven organisations nominated by Harry and Meghan to benefit from donations marking the couple's wedding ceremony in 2018.

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."

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