'He knows what it's like': Prince William meets with young people to talk about grief, following in Diana's footsteps
Prince William and Prince Harry have dedicated much of their working royal lives to continuing the legacy of their late mother, Diana.
From trying to eradicate homelessness, to highlighting the lasting impact of landmines in war zones, the princes have taken up the work started by the late Princess of Wales decades ago.
Prince William's latest engagement was another example of the 42-year-old following in his mother's footsteps.
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The Prince of Wales visited Child Bereavement UK and met with young people who have been supported by the charity, on Wednesday. Getty
The Prince of Wales met with young people and their families at Child Bereavement UK, of which he has been a patron since 2009.
The charity, which provides free bereavement support for children and young people, as well as families where a child has died, was launched in 1994 with support from Princess Diana.
Its founder Julia Samuel was a close friend of Diana's and is one of Prince George's godparents.
Diana, Princess of Wales with Julia Samuel at the launch of the Child Bereavement Trust in London, September, 1994. PA Images via Getty Images
William spent close to an hour speaking with families and volunteers, and others connected to the charity, during his visit to its Northwest service on Wednesday.
The service in Widnes, Cheshire, is the busiest in the UK for the charity.
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William asked some of the young people whether they had found it hard to talk about their experiences of grief.
Prince William has been patron of the charity since 2009, taking over from his late mother. AP
He was told by 17-year-old Rebecca, who lost her father, said: "I didn't really know how I felt because it was very sudden. Child Bereavement UK helped me direct the way I felt about it."
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William said it was "crucial in the first few years particularly that people have support like this".
"It gets you in a practice to know how to help yourself going forward."
Clayton, a 16-year-old boxer who helped to raise money for the charity, said William was "a genuine person".
"Obviously he's been through the same situation as a lot of people so you can see when he does say he's glad of what we're doing, it's important because he knows what it's like for others," Clayton said.
Executive manager Sue Randall said of Prince William: "he's been brilliant as patron".
In a message on social media following the visit, the prince said: "The families and children they have supported show immense strength under the most terrible of circumstances.
"Thank you for sharing your stories today and wishing you all the very best."
In 2015, Prince William said it was important for him to be patron of Child Bereavement UK "to continue my mother's commitment to a charity which is very dear to me".
"What my mother recognised back then and what I understand now is that grief is the most painful experience that any child or parent can endure," he said.
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