Prince Harry is using his own experiences with tragedy to give back. The royal recently penned the forward for a children’s book called Hospital by the Hill, which is aimed at kids mourning the loss of loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic.
In his emotional message, Harry wrote about his own experiences coping with loss after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.
“When I was a young boy I lost my mum,” Harry, who was just 12 years old when Diana died in a car accident in Paris, wrote in the book’s forward (per People). “At the time I didn’t want to believe it or accept it, and it left a huge hole inside of me. I know how you feel, and I want to assure you that over time that hole will be filled with so much love and support. We all cope with loss in a different way, but when a parent goes to heaven, I was told their spirit, their love and the memories of them do not. They are always with you and you can hold onto them forever. I find this to be true.”
Harry went on to write about the empathy he feels for anyone else—particularly any young person—coping with the loss of a close loved one.
“Now, I never met them, but I know this person was special to you, and they were someone incredibly kind, caring and loving because of where they chose to work. Helping others is one of the most important jobs anyone can ever do,” he continued. “You may feel alone, you may feel sad, you may feel angry, you may feel bad. This feeling will pass. And I will make a promise to you—you will feel better and stronger once you are ready to talk about how it makes you feel.”
Finally, Harry added, “I hope this book helps remind you of just how special your parent or loved one was. And how special you are too.”
Hospital by the Hill is being published ahead of Britain’s National Day of Reflection next week, according to People. The book, which tells the story of a young person who loses their mother, a frontline worker, during the coronavirus pandemic, is being given free to any child or young person in the U.K. who is grieving the loss of a loved one amid the pandemic.
This article originally appeared on marie claire U.S.
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