Prince William urges orphans to speak of their sadness

THE Duke of Cambridge has urged children to keep talking about the parents they have lost to keep their memories alive, as it emerged he regularly writes to the families of bereaved and traumatised members of the emergency services.

The Duke shared his experience of losing his own mother with children at a reception to mark the 150th anniversary of the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund.

Dame Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said that the

‘It’s very important that if you feel anything, you talk about it. I lost my mum when I was aged 15’

Duke regularly writes to bereaved police families and officers who have been through traumatic experiences.

Meeting Emma Webb, 10, whose father Ian worked in close protection for Scotland Yard and died from cancer five years ago, aged 52, the Duke was visibly moved as he asked her whether she had a memory box.

“It’s very easy to not talk about it, but you must always talk about it – it’s very important,” he said. “And if you talk about it, you always keep him alive.”

Speaking to teenagers, he added: “It’s very important that if you feel anything, you talk about it. I lost my mum when I was 15. It’s a difficult age, isn’t it? Which is why it’s important to talk.”

The Duke said in a speech: “Our society is defined by how we look after those who keep us all safe. It matters deeply that we help the families who play such an important role in supporting them.”