Whether you’re someone high-profile or ordinary, going through the loss of a family member is traumatic.
Especially if you’re a child and lose a parent, the mishap can have life-long effects on your personality and thinking. And perhaps, that’s what Prince Harry went through when he lost his mother, Princess Diana, quite early in life.
Though his pain has been evident through the years, he gave the world a glimpse of his feelings recently when he contributed to a book to help the children of frontline workers deal with the pain of losing their loved ones to COVID-19.
In the foreword to “Hospital by the Hill,” Harry described his struggles in accepting his mother’s death and wished that his words help comfort the bereaved children.
Let’s take a look at Prince Harry’s touching foreword.
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A quick look at the foreword
Prince Harry was only 12 when Princess Diana passed away following a devastating car crash in 1997. According to his words, at the time he didn’t want to believe that his mother was no more, and his lack of acceptance left a hole inside him.
He tried to comfort the grieving children by saying that he understood their pain and assured them that the void would heal over time with enough love and support. He further said that everyone has their own way of dealing with the loss of loved ones; however, when a parent dies, their spirit, love, and memories last forever.
Even though Prince Harry never met the children’s parents, looking at their profession, he understood how kind, caring and loving they were.
He said that helping someone was the noblest deed, and even though children might feel angry and sad after losing their parents, they should know that this phase will pass. He requested the children to share their feelings since it would make them feel much better.
While concluding, he hoped that the book would remind them how exceptional their parents or loved ones were.
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Release dates for “Hospital by the Hill”
Written by Chris Connaughton, “Hospital by the Hill” is devoted to children and young adults bereaved by the pandemic. It talks about a young individual who has lost his mother, a frontline worker, because of Coronavirus.
The book was released on March 23, 2021, on Britain’s National Day of Reflection. It’s free of cost for children and young adults who’ve lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will also promote charities like Simon Says, Child Bereavement UK, and Winston’s Wish that help children and young individuals cope with loss.
Incidentally, Harry was introduced to the ‘Simon Says’ charity by a friend at the Invictus Games Foundation. Last summer, when he met Sally Stanley, the founder of Simon Says, she asked him to write a part of the book.