Harry’s agony at suspected suicide of friend Jules, 37

PRINCE Harry has been devastated by the death of a friend in a suspected suicide at the age of 37.

The Duke of Sussex sent flowers and a note to Jules Roberts’s funeral.

Endurance expert Jules first met Harry, 34, when training him for his expedition to the South Pole six years ago. The trek was organised by the Walking With The Wounded charity, which Jules supported.

A source said: “Harry is very upset at the death of his friend. It has come as a real shock.”

Jules left a wife, Francesca, and their two-year-old daughter.

The insider added: “Harry and Jules hit it off from the moment they met. Jules taught Harry how to exist in the polar world. Jules was brilliant... and made sure Harry had all the support he needed.”

Jules, who was found dead on August 5, was chief executive of the Sharegift charity, working a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.

He provided funding for the Heads Together mental health charity, which Harry launched alongside Prince

William three years ago.

Walking With The Wounded founder Ed Parker said yesterday: “Jules was a properly good person.

“He had an energy beyond what you could imagine and everything was done with a huge great toothy grin. He was a diamond. He cared very deeply about the causes that Prince Harry is interested in.

“I know he admired hugely Harry’s commitment to mental health and the veteran community. There was a lot of respect both ways.”

He added that Walking With The Wounded, which helps injured servicemen and women in their transition from military to civilian life, will dedicate its marathon across the Sahara desert next year to Jules. Ed said: “He made a lot of difference to a lot of people’s lives. His charitable work was amazing and he would have made a lot of difference to many, many lives in the future.”

Queen song No

One But You (Only the Good Die Young) was played at the funeral in Newcastle-under-lyme, Staffs. Jules’s parents live nearby.

Ed said: “There were lots of people laughing and crying because there was lots to laugh about in only a short life.”

Jules, who lived in London, ran roughly 160 miles from his office to his parents’ home in Alsager, Cheshire, in the days before Christmas 2014 to raise money for Walking With The Wounded.

He said: “As I was questioning why I was doing this I remembered ‘I am running home for those who served our country and don’t have a home to run to.’ That put an end to my moaning.”

Harry yesterday attended the rugby league Challenge Cup final between Warrington Wolves and St Helens at Wembley Stadium.