Teen recovering from brain tumor gives Prince Harry toy dog for baby Archie

Prince Harry is given a toy dog by Aleyna Genc for Archie
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Katy Clifton10 October 2019

A teenage girl recovering from a brain tumour listened to a private voicemail from the Duchess of Sussex and gave Prince Harry a toy for baby Archie as he visited her school.

The Duke of Sussex visited Nottingham Academy on Thursday to mark World Mental Health Day and was given a gift for his baby son Archie by 14-year-old Aleyna Genc.

Alenya, who has had several operations to remove a brain tumour, said she had been writing to Meghan for around two years after the duchess inspired her during a UN speech on women.

After listening to a voicemail from the duchess, she told PA: "I've been lettering with Meghan for around two years now and she sent me a little voicemail and I listened to that."

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visits Nottingham Academy
Getty Images

She added: "I just sent her a letter because she made a speech and that was the one that really inspired me - her UN women's speech.

"I just wrote to her to say how much it inspired me, and we have been lettering ever since."

Prince Harry had taken the teenager aside and hugged her after he showed her the voicemail from the duchess.

After he gave her a hug, Aleyna said: "Wow. just wow."

The duke, who spearheaded the mental health initiative Heads Together alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, has been meeting young people at community projects aimed at improving mental well-being

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends a school assembly with Year 11 students
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Speaking about the toy dog she gave Harry for Archie, Aleyna said: "It's from Pets As Therapy - they give therapy for children with actual pets.

"It's for children going through tough times in hospital or mental health issues - they give them a little dog to play with and it kind of releases stress."

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex meets Year 7 and Year 8 students
Getty Images

She added: "He said thank you and that he loved it. He said he would love it because he hasn't been able to sleep because of Archie for the past few days."

Asked what it was like to meet the duke, Aleyna said: "It was amazing. It's just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you get ... and the fact I've got it and I've given him a present, it was a great opportunity."

During the visit to the academy, Harry joked that exams are "the best time of year", before correcting himself by saying "not really".

He was introduced to a reluctant readers' group at Nottingham Academy and was greeted by a therapy dog.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, meets meets Barney the therapy dog
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The black Labradoodle, called Barney, received a fish block treat from Harry, which was handed to him by the dog's owner and deputy head of house, Claire Iwanekjo.

The royal visitor quipped: "He's going to have fish breath for the rest of the day. Great."

Hundreds of school pupils cheered the duke as he arrived at the Academy on Thursday, with Harry waving at the crowds.

The Duke of Sussex meets pupils during a visit to the Nottingham Academy
PA

The royal later watched a scene of a "hip hopera" performance by young people from St Ann's when he visited the city's Community Recording Studio.

The 10-minute scene was set in a classroom and one of a number in the play which highlights mental health issues.

Harry quizzed the young actors about the project.

"How many of you are playing a role that is very relatable to your own life?" he asked.

Harry asked them whether the production process had helped highlight the issues to them and said: "It's not all going to be good but to have that perspective and that awareness of what's potentially happened to you - where you've come from and where you're going - that's golden.

"A lot of people sleepwalk through life unaware of any of that."

The duke has teamed up with singer Ed Sheeran for World Mental Health Day, urging people "to look out for anybody that might be suffering in silence".

Footage shared on the SussexRoyal Instagram account begins with a spoof misunderstanding between the red-headed pair, with Sheeran declaring he is there to write a song to raise awareness "for people like us".

Reporting by Press Association.

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