TORONTO -- Prince Harry, dressed as Santa Claus, wished a âfantastic Christmasâ to children who have lost a parent in the British Armed Forces in a touching video message.
The minute-long clip was played at the annual Christmas party hosted by Scottyâs Little Soldiers, a U.K. charity that provides support to kids who lost a parent in military service.
There were 190 in attendance and the Duke of Sussex jokingly encouraged them to âcause as much chaos as humanly possible!â
He told the kids they are supported and part of âan amazing community.â
âI know how incredibly strong you are,â he said. âYes, losing a parent is incredibly hard, but I know that every single one of you, by helping each other out, you will have an amazing future ahead of you and youâre going to have a fantastic Christmas as well.â
Prince Harry couldnât attend the party in London, but the heartfelt message âmeant the worldâ to the children.
âIt can be a difficult time of year for these kids, so receiving a heartfelt message from Prince Harry really meant the world to them. The message was a surprise and the look on their faces was priceless,â said Nikki Scott, founder of Scottyâs Little Soldiers, Friday.
Prince Harry ended his Christmas message by pulling his Santa beard down, smiling, flashing two thumbs up and wishing everyone a âfantastic Christmas and happy New Year.â
For the holidays, Prince Harry, Meghan and baby Archie are âspending private family timeâ in Canada, according to Buckingham Palace.
âThey are enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape with their young son,â the statement said.