And we thought the cards Prince William and Kate Middleton's children wrote for Princess Diana made us emotional.
Now, Prince Harry has penned a forward for Hospital by the Hill, an upcoming children's book by Chris Connaughton that tells the story of a child dealing with the loss of their mother, a frontline worker. The book is being given away for free to any children in the U.K. who have lost a loved one during the coronavirus pandemic.
The book's illustrator, Fay Troote, announced the book's release with a caption that said: "We hope this story brings a little bit comfort and support through the hard and horrible times of bereavement helping open conversations around grief and nurturing memories of these loved ones lost."
Hospital by the Hill, which will be released on National Day of Reflection (March 23) in the U.K., has gained even more attention for the forward that the Duke of Sussex contributed to the work.
In the forward, Prince Harry offers an affecting look into the loss of his own mother, Princess Diana, who died when he was only 12 years old. "When I was a young boy I lost my mum. At the time I didn't want to believe it or accept it, and it left a huge hole inside of me," he writes. "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."
The Duke of Sussex continues by saying, "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. 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."
The prince, who became a parent himself in May of 2019, closes his message with a statement of love, saying: "I hope this book helps remind you of just how special your parent or loved one was. And how special you are too."
Excuse us while we go grab the tissues.
Stay up-to-date on every breaking royals story by subscribing to our mailing list here.
