Prince William and Prince Harry Write Joint Letter for Christmas Service in Memory of Their Friend
In 2002, Prince Harry's Ludgrove Preparatory School classmate, Henry van Straubenzee, died in a car accident when he was just 18 years old. After his graduation, Henry was admitted to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst—but he was planning on taking a gap year to teach at Bupadhengo, a school in Uganda. So, after his death, his parents Alexander and Claire, set up the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund to support education in Uganda.
Since the organization's founding, Prince Harry and Prince William have served as patrons. "As some of you know, Henry was one of my greatest friends and his death was truly shocking to many people. Henry would be so proud of his family and what they are doing in Uganda in his name. The way they are carrying on his memory is remarkable," Prince Harry said at the launch in 2008.
Prince William added, "This is the first charity of which we have both become patrons and it couldn’t have been a better one, as Henry was such a close friend of ours and because we believe so strongly in the need to alleviate poverty and assist development in African countries."
Since 2009, the Fund has hosted the annual Henry van Straubenzee Christmas Carol Concert. The brothers were unable to attend the concert this year—Prince William was in Boston for the Earthshot Prize, and Prince Harry now lives in California. But still, the two wrote a joint letter that was printed in the order of the service for the concert.
"We believe everyone here tonight will agree that what Claire and Alex have achieved since 2009 is nothing short of extraordinary," the royal brothers wrote."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."
They continued, "For those of us who knew Henners, we will always miss his mischievous charm and hilarious sense of humor. Henry's legacy will live on through the incredible achievements of what his mum and dad have accomplished over the years."
The Princes ended their letter, "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."
Though the royals were not in attendance, Kate Middleton's siblings Pippa Middleton and James Middleton, along with their spouses, did attend the concert at St Luke's Church in Chelsea.
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