Captain Tom Moore: Royal family sends thank you letters and 'undisclosed' donation to veteran

99-year-old has so far raised more than £17m

The Duke of Cambridge and his stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall have each written to Captain Tom Moore to congratulate him for raising millions of pounds for the NHS.

Earlier this month the 99-year-old war veteran, who served in India and Burma, set himself the challenge of raising £1,000 for frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic by walking 100 laps of his garden before 30 April – the day on which he turns 100.

However, Captain Moore managed to successfully complete the task two weeks early and has surpassed his initial target to raise more than £17 million so far.

According to Kensington Palace, Prince William and Kate Middleton were among the donors, sending an undisclosed sum to the veteran’s appeal.

The Duke has also followed in the footsteps of his father the Prince of Wales, who is a well-known letter writer, and penned a note to Captain Moore.

While its contents remain unknown, it is likely that he wrote to praise the 99-year-old who offered words of hope as he finished his 100th lap on Thursday 16 April, saying: “At the end of the day we shall all be ok.

“The sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away.”

The Duchess of Cornwall has also written to the veteran, while William’s cousin Princess Eugenie shared her own tribute online, posting on her Instagram story: “@captaintommoore you are an inspiration and thank you.”

The royal family’s thanks follow the news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will consider ways to recognise Captain Moore’s “heroic efforts" amid multiple calls for him to receive a knighthood.

His official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “From his military contributions to his support for NHS staff, Tom has demonstrated a lifetime of bravery and compassion.

“The Prime Minister will certainly be looking at ways to recognise Tom’s heroic efforts.”

Downing Street said the 99-year-old had “captured the heart of the nation” and “embodied the spirit of the whole country in doing their bit for the battle against coronavirus”.

On Friday morning, more than 860,000 supporters had donated more than £17 million to Captain Moore’s JustGiving page, meaning he has now raised more than 3,500 per cent of his initial target.

You can find out more about how to donate to the NHS fundraiser here.