Family of tragic soldier to meet Will and Kate

THE family of a Tayside soldier who died on a training exercise is set to have a royal tea at Buckingham Palace.

Pete Cluff had served in the British Army with t he Royal Engineers for almost 22 years when he died of heart failure while on a team-building exercise aged 41.

Now, wife Kirsty, 37, and daughters Heather, eight, and Meredith, five, have been invited to sit down for a cuppa with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry at a special Buckingham Palace tea party to honour the children of those who have died serving in the Armed Forces.

Kirsty, who had to travel from Germany i n order to attend The Party at the Palace, today told the Tele the girls were “over the moon” about the upcoming event.

She said: “I didn’t want them to miss out on the opportunity so we packed up the car and came across.

“It is really good for them to be around other children that have gone through what they have so they know they’re not the only ones. The girls haven’t stopped speaking about it — they are so excited.

“The i nvitation was a handwritten one. It said that people could wear what they wanted but the girls are going to go out and get matching frocks.”

William, Kate and Harry will welcome the youngsters to the event — to be staged in the palace gardens on May 13 — which will feature live performances, stalls, games on the lawn and the chance to explore the grounds.

A palace spokesman said: “Their Royal Highnesses have arranged the event as a way to acknowledge and honour the fact that a number of young children have had to come to terms with the loss of someone very close to them at a young age, having lost a parent in armed service to the country.

“The Duke and Duchess and Prince Harry hope the event will provide an opportunity for these children to broaden their support networks amongst other families with similar experiences.”

After Pete died a fundraising campaign was launched to help raise money f or the soldier’s “forever home”.

Pete never got to realise his dream of retiring to the home that the family had purchased and intended to renovate. His death has left them unable to afford the work.

However, Outpost Charity, which provides support to people connected with the armed forces, stepped in and has been coordinating a renovation effort utilising volunteers.

The volunteers, including 17 veterans and two serving soldiers, have been working on restoring the Cluffs’ “forever home” at Burrelton in Perthshire, for more than a year.

Pete’s boots from a tour of Afghanistan were laid into the cottage’s foundations.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (above) will meet the Cluff family.