Prince Harry To Open Tunisia Memorial In Birmingham

27 February 2019, 07:05 | Updated: 27 February 2019, 07:07

The Duke of Sussex will officially open a memorial in Birmingham to 31 British victims of two terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Kensington Palace has announced.

The memorial commemorates the 30 British victims of the Sousse attack at a popular coastal holiday resort in 2015, as well as a UK national who died in an attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis earlier the same year.

The commemorative sculpture, called Infinite Wave, will overlook a lake in Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park and comprise 31 individual streams, with each representing the loss of a British life.

A number of the victims had links to the Midlands, including 70-year-old former Birmingham City footballer Denis Thwaites and his wife Elaine, 69.

The duke will attend a ceremony to officially open the memorial on March 4 and attend a reception where he will meet some of the families of those affected.

In 2016 Harry gave a reading at a service for the victims at Westminster Abbey in London.

The sculpture, which was designed by London and Gloucester-based George King Architects, was chosen ahead of 19 other entries by an independent panel, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.

Relatives of the victims were consulted on its design and location.

Suzy Richards, who lost three members of her family in the attack, has previously described the memorial as representing "our never-ending love and beautiful memories we treasure".

As part of his visit to Birmingham, the duke will also visit The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The centre aims to minimise the psychological and physical impact of scarring among armed forces personnel and civilians wounded in terrorist attacks.

The Royal Foundation gave funding to the CASEVAC Club, which helped to set up the centre and aims to provide wounded personnel with a close-knit, supportive community and assist in the advancement of treatments.