Prince Harry talks ‘candidly’ to teenager about losing a parent

Prince Harry took time out from a royal engagement to sit down and speak to a teenager who like him shares the experience of losing a parent at a young age.

The Duke of Sussex spent 10 minutes “sharing an experience” with the young person, who became emotional talking about the loss of a parent.

Harry and the Duchess of Sussex met the teenager during a visit to the Empire Fighting Chance charity in Bristol – which combines non-contact boxing with education, mentoring and therapy.

As the young person became upset, Harry asked everyone to leave the room so he could speak “candidly”.

Martin Bisp, co-founder of the charity, said: “There was a moment where him and a young person shared an experience.

“They sat down and asked us to leave the room and talked candidly.”

The charity, which was established in 2006, is based at the Bristol Boxing Gym in the Easton area of the city.

It supports children aged eight to 21 who are failing at school and in danger of drifting into a life of unemployment or even crime, and helps them turn their lives around.

The Duke and Duchess were taken on a tour by Mr Bisp and fellow co-founder Jamie Sanigar, who both explained the work they do, particularly combining sport with mental health.

Harry said: “You have got to think outside the box because there is a lack of services and the services that do exist are not suitable.

“One of the things that everyone knows that works is sport, and especially boxing.

“In the last 10 years, the popularity of boxing has gone through the roof but more and more these facilities have been shut down.”

The duke told Mr Bisp and Mr Sanigar that many people were did not want to “sit in a chair” and talk about their mental health but would participate in sport.

“You don’t even realise you are being cured but you are. You guys understand this,” Harry said.

The duke and duchess met young children taking part in a boxing programme linked to their school.

The Prince asked a group of boys: “Why do you like punching the bag so much? Calms you down?

“What would you be doing if you were not here or at school?”

The boys told him that they would be boxing or playing video games, such as the popular Fortnite.

“Why would you want to play Fortnite when you can come here?,” the Prince asked.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Bisp said: “From our point of view the visit was fantastic and was absolutely brilliant.

“They will have inspired every one of the people here today.”