Britain’s Prince Harry paid tribute to a late soldier with a "beautiful" letter.
Cheryl Routlege lost her son Corporal Liam Riley in 2010 when he was hit by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan with the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment in 2010.
The family and the Prince had yet to meet in person after he penned the letter – where he called the Corporal a "legend" – but they finally got the chance after they both attended a reception at the Guildhall, London.
During their exchange, he asked the family: "How did you find me down here?"
Before adding: "It is very good to meet you at last. When I said Liam was a legend, I meant it."
Prince Harry and the late Liam had gotten to know each other whilst training together for three months in Canada in 2007 and whilst nothing could bring back her son, Cheryl felt the Prince’s words were a "huge comfort" to all the family.
She said: "I just wanted to be able to thank him for what he said about Liam. His words were a huge comfort to us all at a very difficult time.
"Harry said that, although they had no known each other for long, some three months or so, he knew instantly that Liam was ‘a legend’ and what a great bloke he was…
"He talked to me about the pain he felt after his own mother died and how he came to terms with his grief.
"It was a beautiful letter, written from the heart, and something that touched me and brought me enormous comfort at the time. It is something I will always treasure."
Britain’s Prince Harry pays tribute to late soldier
