Prince William and Prince Harry's tributes to Help for Heroes founder
Prince William and Prince Harry both pay heartfelt tributes to 'inspirational' Help for Heroes founder Bryn Parry who's died aged 67 - on day it was announced they will reunite at Coronation
By Jessica Taylor For Mailonline
Published: 08:43, 13 April 2023 | Updated: 08:44, 13 April 2023
Prince William and Prince Harry have paid tribute to 'inspirational' charity co-founder Bryn Parry following his death at the age of 67.
Prince William, 41, said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of Mr Parry's death following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Writing on Twitter, he praised the Help for Heroes co-founder and cartoonist for his 'life-affirming work'.
Meanwhile the Duke of Sussex also paid tribute on Twitter to to Mr Parry, in a statement made through his Invictus Games Foundation.
He described the charity boss's death as a 'truly sad day for the military community'.
The Prince of Wales has paid tribute on Twitter to Bryn Parry, the co-founder of the Help for Heroes charity for veterans, after he died at the age of 67 from pancreatic cancer.
Pictured: Prince William with Mr Parry in 2013
It is understood that William closely followed Mr Parry's work and recently wrote to him after he received his CBE, given to him in a private investiture at his home due to his terminal illness.
Writing on Twitter about the 67-year-old's death, the father-of-two said: 'Deeply sad to hear that Bryn Parry has passed away.
'A life-affirming, inspirational man, his work with Help for Heroes made a difference to so many and his legacy will be its continuing impact. My thoughts are with his family and friends. W.'
Prince Harry, 38, also spoke about the impact Mr Parry's charity work had on the military industry.
Mr Parry co-founded Help for Heroes with his wife Emma in 2007. Pictured: The couple on their wedding day in 1981
In a statement posted on the foundation's Twitter account attributed to its patron, the Duke said: 'Today is a truly sad day for the military community as we bid farewell to a man who, alongside his wife, completely transformed the UK charity sector for the benefit of those who have served.
'His vision, determination and brilliance provided a lifeline for thousands of veterans, as well as their families, when they needed it most.
'Those that come after him will always be better off because of his actions.
Bryn Parry, we salute you!
'Thank you from all of us for the lives saved, the support given and the community inspired.
'Your legacy lives on through Help for Heroes. Our love and respect will remain with your family.'
Harry founded the Invictus Games to aid the rehabilitation of injured or sick military personnel and veterans from across the globe by giving them the challenge of competing in sporting events similar to the Paralympics.
Mr Parry shared good relationships with other members of the royal family including the Duke of Sussex and the King (pictured with King Charles in 2014)
Help for Heroes chief executive James Needham said: 'Everyone at Help for Heroes is deeply saddened by the death of our co-founder Bryn Parry CBE.
'Without Bryn, this charity wouldn't be here. Without him, over 27,000 veterans and their families wouldn't have received lifechanging support.
'Bryn was instrumental in changing the focus of the nation and the way we regard both military service and wounded veterans.
'Those who knew and worked with Bryn saw at his core an incredibly kind, earnest, and passionate soul, whose energy was contagious.
'Supported, encouraged and advised by Emma, he was unstinting in his total, unwavering commitment to making the lot of the wounded servicemen and women as good as it could be.
'Bryn's founding principles and his no-nonsense approach of doing everything humanly possible to help our heroes, remain at the heart of all we do.'
The Sun has reported that Mr Parry died 'peacefully and surrounded by family'.
He was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January 2023.
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Johnny Mercer MP said Mr Parry 'will never be forgotten'.
'My heart goes out to Emma and the family,' he wrote in a social media post.
'At a time when the nation's deficit of veterans care was so ruthlessly exposed by those men and women injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bryn and Emma stepped up, founded Help for Heroes, and single handedly revolutionised veterans care in the United Kingdom.
'Their place in history will never fade; what they started has continued to echo years later.
'He inspired me with his unapologetic determination to do right by these special men and women who serve.
He will never be forgotten.'
After 10 years in the army, Mr Parry gave up his regular commission in The Royal Green Jackets to make a living from art, his sculpture website states.
His commissions 'included work for the Duchy of Cornwall, the Duchy of Lancaster, Sandringham, Lloyds of London and many Regiments, Companies and individuals', it added.