Prince Harry admitted he ‘knew personally’ how important it is to ‘share your grief’ during a chat with a Tunisia terror attack survivor – and says he ‘didn’t talk enough’ after Princess Diana’s death
- Owen Richards, now 21, from the West Midlands, recalled Prince Harry exchange
- Was 16 when his brother, uncle and grandfather were shot dead in a massacre
- Said Duke of Sussex gave him some advice on how to try and cope with his grief
A young survivor of the 2015 Tunisia terror attack has told how Prince Harry gave him advice on how to deal with his grief after three of his family members were killed.
Owen Richards, now 21, from the West Midlands, was 16 when his brother Joel Richards, 19, uncle Adrian Evans, 49, and grandfather Charles Patrick Evans, 78, were shot dead in a massacre in which 38 tourists died five years ago on June 26, 2015.
Last year, Prince Harry officially dedicated a memorial to the British victims of the 2015 Tunisia terrorist attacks – and attended the ceremony at Birmingham‘s Cannon Hill Park, alongside the families of those who had lost loved ones.
Speaking about it for the first time with mum Suzanne Richards, Owen told The Mirror: ‘He gave me some advice.
‘He said I must talk about what happened. He said he knew personally, because when he lost his mum, he didn’t.
The Duke of Sussex speaking during a visit to Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, to officially open a memorial dedicated to victims of the 2015 terror attacks in Tunisia
The Princess of Wales with her sons William and Harry during a holiday with the Spanish royal family at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, August 198
‘It was a bit weird when he said, “when my mum was killed”, because she’s not just any mum – she’s Princess Diana.
‘It seemed like he was trying to give some advice rather than have a meaningless conversation.’
And when he gave a speech at the unveiling, Owen told how he was given the chance to exchange a few words with the Duke of Sussex.
‘I was nervous but Harry nodded during my speech,’ he explained. ‘Mum and I had a teddy from our charity Smile for Joel – named after my brother – which we gave to him for his wife who was pregnant.
Owen Richards, (left) who lost his uncle, brother and grandfather in the terror attack in Sousse, arriving with his mother Suzanne
Owen Richards (left) who was at the memorial today with his mother, pictured alongside Sousse massacre victims Adrian Evans, Charles ‘Patrick’ Evans and Joel Richards
‘I told him I was there when it happened and how I lost my brother, my grandad and my uncle.’
Owen was staying at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Port El Kantaoui with three family members when the terrifying ordeal unfolded.
Tunisian student Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, opened fire and while the four of them tried to run inside the hotel complex to hide, Pat took several falls – and was hit by a bullet.
Owen held his grandad Pat Evans, 78, in his final dying moments and was later praised by a coroner for his ‘extraordinary courage’ in trying to save him.
After the attacks, he and his mother Suzanne Richards set up the Smile for Joel Charity, providing support for other victims of terrorism.