Prince William shares touching moment as he consoles 100-year-old widow during ceremony
PRINCE WILLIAM shared a touching moment as he greeted a 100-year-old widow while unveiling a new memorial to the Royal Navy.
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The Duke of Cambridge appeared at the National Memorial Arboretum on Wednesday to unveil a memorial to submariners and their families in Staffordshire. The royal duty, originally intended for the Queen, saw the Duke pay tribute to the submariners “continued resilience”.
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During his visit, William met with submariners, veterans, and some of their families.
William spent time with widowed Diana Mayes, 100, whose first husband Lt Gordon Noll, then 25.
Lt Noll, Commanding Officer of HMS Untamed, died alongside his crew in the Clyde in May 1943.
William laid a consoling hand on Ms Mayes’ arm while meeting families at the memorial ceremony.
The Duke also met with Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, who was murdered on HMS Astute after it docked in Southampton in April 2011.
The officer tried to tackle a junior rating who went on a murderous rampage onboard a nuclear-powered submarine before he was shot.
Lieutenant Commander Molyneux's widow, Gillian Molyneux, told the Duke the unveiling of the new memorial had been “emotional”.
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William also gave a short speech addressing the Submarine Service before unveiling the memorial.
He said of the servicemen: “You would be hard-pressed to find a more challenging environment to serve in.”
The Duke spoke of how the new monument “harnesses in physical form the struggles this life of service can lead to”.
William also said: “It is because of the continued resilience in the face of such challenges that we are gathered here now.
“With this memorial, we are not only providing a focal point for today's submarine community, but also a moving tribute to the memory of lost shipmates and loved ones, and a place for people to come and remember them.”
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William also gave a short speech addressing the Submarine Service before unveiling the memorial.
He said of the servicemen: “You would be hard-pressed to find a more challenging environment to serve in.”
The Duke spoke of how the new monument “harnesses in physical form the struggles this life of service can lead to”.
William also said: “It is because of the continued resilience in the face of such challenges that we are gathered here now.
“With this memorial, we are not only providing a focal point for today's submarine community, but also a moving tribute to the memory of lost shipmates and loved ones, and a place for people to come and remember them.”
Meanwhile, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was on duty at Buckingham Palace, hosting a garden party with the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Princess Alexandra.
The group stood in for the Queen, 96, who traditionally oversees four garden parties each summer but has bowed out of this year's engagements amid ongoing mobility issues.
The annual garden parties, which are held between Buckingham Palace and Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, are a way for the monarch to celebrate and reward those who have distinguished themselves in public service.
They require the royal hosts to spend more than an hour on their feet as they make their way through the crowd.
