Royal Watch News

William and Harry support HIV charity

Nov 26, 2012, 12:02 GMT

Princes William and Harry

Britain's Princes William and Harry have shown their support for one of the UK's leading HIV charities.

The royal brothers - whose late mother, Princess Diana, was a great campaigner for Aids and HIV sufferers - sent a letter congratulating the Terrence Higgins Trust on its 30th anniversary and praised the charity's work in supporting people with the virus.

They wrote: 'Our generation has never known a world without HIV. We have grown up knowing of the devastating impact this virus has on lives, on families, on communities. We know, too, that HIV can be treated and the lives of sufferers extended by many years. However, there is still a stigma which blights sufferers of the disease, even today.

'Terrence Higgins Trust, founded 30 years ago by friends of Terrence Higgins, one of the first people in the United Kingdom to die of Aids, has been the other constant in this story of our generation. Every day, its inspirational staff and volunteers work ceaselessly to turn the lives of HIV sufferers around. They have prevented countless new infections, supported thousands of people to live healthy lives with HIV, and campaigned tirelessly to gain a greater public understanding of the personal, social and media impact of HIV.'

A photograph of William and Harry with Diana - which was taken by John Swannell - will go under the hammer at the charity's 30th anniversary auction next March.

Terry Higgins died of an Aids-related illness on July 4 1982 at St Thomas' Hospital, London at the age of 37.

That year, three of his closest friends founded the Terrence Higgins Trust, using Terry's name in the hope of humanising and personalising Aids in a very public way.