Duchess of Cambridge marks Remembrance Week by speaking to military families

Kate Middleton carried out a virtual engagement in lockdown in which she heard about the work the legion does that the public often do not get to see.
Kensington Palace
Robert Jobson10 November 2020

The Duchess of Cambridge has sympathised with military families who have lost loved ones, telling them they should be "proud" of their achievements and "the bravery that they've shown".

Kate marked Remembrance week by speaking to three women who have mourned the loss of partners or immediate family, and heard how they have been supported by the Royal British Legion

Speaking to the women, one of whom was with her 11-year-old son, she asked about the moral and financial support the charity had offered them in their darkest days.

Kate said: “Sadly, not everybody gets to see that or even actually understand the role they play for families such as yourselves.

“It has such a big impact, particularly at such tragic times.”

Kensington Palace

The duchess told them how proud they should be of their loved ones as she thanked them for the sacrifices they had made.

“I’m sure you spend your time every day remembering your loved ones but it’s so important that the nation comes together and really spends time thinking about those who have lost their lives and the families that have been impacted,” she said.

“It’s been a real honour to speak to all of you and I think I speak for the whole nation when I say just how proud you should be of your loved ones, and for the sacrifice and the bravery that they’ve shown.

“I’ll certainly be thinking of you this difficult week and will be for many years to come.”

Kate asked Charlton Fleming, 11, from Rhyl, Wales, who was dressed in a blue jacket and tie, if he was wearing his school uniform.

“You look very smart,” she said. “Have you put it on especially? Thank you very much.”

Charlton's father, Royal Marine Michael Taylor, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010.

The Duchess asked Charlton to tell her about the three medals he was wearing. “Are those your daddy’s medals? Wow,” she said, as he told her one for the service, one was for Afghanistan and one was for Iraq.

“Its very special that you’re wearing them,” she told him.

The Duchess asked him if he would tell her a little bit about his father, but laughed when he said he could not remember much, adding: “I think mum would explain it best, you take the floor, mum.”

Charlton’s mother, Sonia Fleming, described how her husband had died when Charlton was ten months old and her other sons were 11 and 13.

“Probably the hardest thing is doing it on your own,” she said.

Charlton told the Duchess that he liked to look at photographs of his father and hear stories about him, which she said was “amazing.”

Chantelle Wynn, from Tamworth, was widowed in 2015 when her husband Ryan took his own life after struggling for years with PTSD following a posting in Afghanistan, where he worked for six months as a medic in the Territorial Army.

The couple had been together since they were 16 and were married for 17 years. They had two daughters, Rosie and Daisy.

Mrs Wynn told the Duchess: “Obviously, this time of year is always really bad and with his anniversary the day before Remembrance day, this week is really significant.

“But we plod on and we’ve got family who support us so we get through.”

Mrs Wyn said she had no idea what the Royal British Legion really did until she needed them in her hour of need, revealing that it had provided crucial financial and emotional support.

“You wear a poppy and you put your donation in but I didn’t know where the donations went,” she said.

“But now, I know exactly where those donations go to.”

When the Duchess asked Mrs Wyn if her husband had been open with his mental health, she replied: “He would never ever talk about it.

“The only time he would ever talk about it was every November when he felt like he was back in the war.

“Bonfire night was just a no-go in our house because he thought that those fireworks were him back in the warzone.

“He never really had problems until that October, and then it was literally like being hit by a brick wall.”

The Duchess, who had a poppy pinned to the black collar of her white blouse, asked what Remembrance Day meant for her and her family.

“We’ve always gone out and gone to the parades, which we still do now with the children just to show them that you have got to remember those who fought and those who have got invisible injuries and burdens - it’s not just those servicemen who died while they have been over there,” she said.

“It’s the physical and mental impact” the Duchess agreed.

Serena Alexander from London described the moment that her son, Sam, told her he wanted to join the Marines before going on his first tour to Afghanistan, when he was awarded the military cross for rescuing his commanding officer from the Taliban.

“Very sadly on his second tour, they were inspecting a compound and an IED went off and killed Sam, his commanding officer and an interpreter,” she said.

“That was when we first met the Royal British Legion, firstly on repatriation when they were just so kind at Wootton Bassett and just so warm and loving and helpful and just friendly at a time that was so dreadfully sad.”

Mrs Alexander told the Duchess that it was such a bleak time, the Legion had provided a “kind of comfort blanket” with not just practical support but also moral support that was so welcome.

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