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Sad news for Prince Harry after friend passes away: ‘A diamond’

Lauren Hughes

Our thoughts are with Prince Harry after the sad news that his friend Jules Roberts has passed away at the age of 37.

The prince reportedly sent a private note and flowers to the funeral of his late friend, which he could not attend. The Mirror reports Harry also sent flowers to the deceased’s wife, Francesca, and her two-year-old daughter.

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Jules trained Harry back in 2013, ahead of the their trip to the South Pole in aid of charity Walking With The Wounded. The pair were said to have then become close friends.

It sounded to be a brutal training process, in which Harry learned a great deal of physical endurance, through tasks such as hauling sledges, as well as how to survive extreme weather conditions.

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Today The Duke of Sussex visited the Royal Hospital Chelsea for the Founder’s Day Parade, an annual event celebrating the founding of the veterans hospital in 1681 by King Charles II. The Founder’s Day Parade is a day to celebrate ‘The Chelsea Pensioners’, the name for those veterans who live there, and an important reminder of the great debt we owe all whom have served their nation. More than 300 years on from its founding, @royalhospitalchelsea continues to provide exceptional care to soldiers in retirement. Today’s visit also coincides with the 75th anniversary of D-Day. It was especially poignant for The Duke, who served in the British Army for ten years, to visit with and honour six veterans of the Normandy Landing living at the hospital. In his speech today His Royal Highness shared these words with the Chelsea Pensioners: Don’t ever underestimate the joy that you bring to everyone you meet. You represent something really quite special, you are special, and society will always recognise that. That is an important part of your legacy….It’s a community that focuses on supporting each other with kindness, respect and compassion, as well as reaching out to serve the wider community….On this 75th Anniversary of D-Day, I can comfortably speak for everyone when I say we are honoured to be in the presence of six Normandy Landing veterans. Over 300 British Army Veterans live @royalhospitalchelsea – veterans who fought in the Second World War, and other conflicts including Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Northern Ireland, South Atlantic and the first Gulf War. Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and other members of The Royal Family have joined events in the UK and France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are proud to support serving and former members of the Armed Forces. Positive communities and the @royalhospitalchelsea model of care, is critical to help veterans both young and old to maintain positive mental health and wellbeing. Thank you for your service, and for the sacrifices you and your families have made. #DDay75

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The cause of the death of the 37-year-old is still to be confirmed. Jules Roberts leaves behind his wife Francesca and two-year-daughter.

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Walking With The Wounded founder Ed Parker has paid his respects to the adventurer.

He said, “He was a properly good person with an energy beyond what you could imagine and everything was done with a huge great toothy grin.

“He had this extraordinary ability to engage with people. He was a diamond.”

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Ed also highlighted Jules’ relationship with Harry and his admiration for the Duke of Sussex’s charity work.

“I know that he admired hugely Harry’s commitment to both mental health and the veteran community.

“There was a lot of respect both ways.”

If you’ve been affected by this story, there are people here to help. For confidential support, call Samaritans in the UK on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans branch.