Prince Harry has urged schoolchildren affected by the Grenfell Tower fire to be there for each other as they come to terms with the tragedy.
The Prince and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, met survivors of the high-rise blaze and community volunteers as they visited a new centre to provide those affected with psychological support.
Harry has previously admitted he struggled in the years after the shock death of his mother Diana, only seeking help more than a decade later.
Responding to pupils at two nearby schools who said they had been talking to each other about the fire, he said: “That’s all you can do, is be there for each other because there will be some people… who either don’t want to talk about their experiences… or think they are absolutely fine, and in years’ time suddenly they might have some nightmares and that’s when you guys will be crucial, because you have been through that process.”
To one pupil, who said they had felt a “very difficult atmosphere” when they sat an exam after the fire, the prince joked: “Exam conditions are pretty rubbish anyway, I don’t think it’s changed in the last 20 years.”
The brothers were shown around the Support4Grenfell community hub, close to where the charred tower block stands in north Kensington.
The area, spread over two floors, is colourful and child-friendly, with beanbags, board games and more secluded areas for quiet chats.
The pair were due to be joined by the Duchess of Cambridge, with William apologising to volunteers for her absence.
Kate, who is suffering with severe morning sickness, as was the case with her previous pregnancies, was forced to pull out of public engagements on Monday and Tuesday.
The Duke said he was sorry Catherine could not be present, to which a volunteer joked: “She’s got a good excuse.”
He said she would have been “thrilled” to hear of the work community groups and charities have been doing, and to see the hub being used.