Royals

Why Prince Harry refused to cut short his conversation with a Sydney war widow

He is his mother's son.

Prince Harry is one of the Royal Family’s good guys.

Whether he’s cuddling babies, tenderly looking after newly-pregnant wife Duchess Meghan while she navigates her first major overseas Royal Tour or paying tribute to the heroes competing in the Invictus Games, the prince has shown that, like his mum before him, he has time for people and isn’t afraid to show his emotions.

Prince Harry hugs Invictus Games ambassador Gwen Cherne after climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Friday.

Another example of his compassion for others has come to light with Sydney war veteran widow and Invictus Games ambassador Gwen Cherne revealing what Prince Harry said to her after he was snapped hugging her on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Friday.

Gwen’s husband, Peter Cafe served in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Iraq before taking his own life in February this year. The widow met the Duke of Sussex when he climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Friday with Gwen and two other members of Team Australia as well as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The prince was snapped hugging Gwen as they completed the climb.

Always on a tight schedule, Prince Harry then shushed aides who tried to hurry him along while he was still talking to Gwen by saying, “I’m in the middle of a conversation.”

“He stopped and said, ‘I’m in the middle of a conversation and I’m not going to leave this,'” explained Gwen to People magazine.

“We were talking about my story and mental health and how difficult it is still, in our society, to talk about grief and loss and suicide.

“And how important things like the Invictus Games are to shedding light on, and allowing people to start to have these conversations that are great to have.”

It’s not the first time Prince Harry has opened up about his own personal struggles with mental health following the death of his mother Princess Diana when he was 12 years old.

Indeed, the caring royal founded the Invictus Games to support sick and wounded servicemen and, only last week, wrote a touching tribute to all veterans at the opening of the extended ANZAC memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park.

The handwritten message read, “In grateful memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and in recognition of the men and women for whom the scars of war endure.”

It was signed by both Harry and Meghan.

Prince Harry’s devotion to veterans is something that Gwen finds particularly touching.

“I think they (Harry and Meghan) provide this beacon of hope and light for so many,” she said. “They’re touching, they’re shining that interest on the Games, and that shines light on their service and that shines light on the sacrifices their families make.

“I was humbled by the opportunity to spend that time with him and grateful for all he is doing given his place in the world.”

There’s no doubt that along with Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess Meghan, Prince Harry is one of the new breed of royals that hope to shed light on important issues such as mental healthmental health.

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