A young soldier who guarded the Queen’s coffin during her funeral procession has been found dead at his barracks, leaving his family heartbroken.
A teenage soldier who guarded the Queen’s coffin during her funeral procession has been found dead at his barracks.
Household Cavalry trooper Jack Burnell-Williams, 18, played a key role in the royal send-off as one of the men who protected her coffin.
Jack, who was part of the Blues and Royals regiment, was tragically found dead at Hyde Park Barracks in London’s Knightsbridge.
Cops and paramedics raced to the base on Wednesday after the alarm was raised at 3.48pm, MailOnline reports.
Jack Burnell-Williams (right) played a vital role in guarding the Queen’s coffin.
Jack was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are not treating his death as suspicious.
His devastated mother Laura, 42, revealed he had died in a post on Facebook.
She wrote: “Never ever thought I would be saying this but we as a family are all heartbroken with the sudden passing of our wonderful son Jack Williams yesterday.”
Jack is believed to be one of the Household Cavalry’s newest recruits.
He was one of the guards present during the Queen’s funeral procession when her coffin was pulled from Westminster Abbey, through Whitehall, down The Mall and past Buckingham Palace to Wellington Arch earlier this month.
The soldier is also believed to have also taken part in a number of other ceremonial events during the national mourning period.
On the day of Her Majesty’s funeral, his family posted a video of troops from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment taking part in the ceremony.
His mother Laura also posted a series of photographs of her son in uniform as he performed his duty at the Hyde Park barracks.
And she shared TV footage of her son taking part in the Trooping of the Colour as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
She added the caption: “One of the proudest days of my life.”
Jack was one of many royal guardsmen enlisted to guard the Queen’s coffin after she died.
Tributes poured in after Jack’s death was announced.
His girlfriend Molly Holmes said on Laura’s Facebook page: “Forever going to miss you my love. Truly heartbroken.”
Jack’s sister Elisha wrote: “We will get through this together as a team. We need to do him just as proud as he’s done us.
Family and friends will be setting off blue balloons in his memory tomorrow at Bryntirion Football Club in Bridgend, South Wales.
