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Family of Teen Trooper Who Escorted Queen’s Coffin Press Army on Support as Inquest Nears

The soldier's mother seeks answers ahead of a February inquest, urging better mental-health support for young recruits.

Overview

  • Trooper Jack Burnell-Williams, 18, was found unresponsive at Hyde Park Barracks on September 28, 2022, less than two weeks after taking part in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession.
  • Loved ones say they are sure he died by suicide, while the Metropolitan Police previously said the death was unexpected but not suspicious.
  • A full inquest is scheduled for February 2026 at Inner West London Coroners’ Court, to be overseen by Assistant Coroner Bernard Richmond KC.
  • Through lawyer Victoria Sedgwick, his mother Laura Williams seeks a full account of events and calls for stronger pastoral care for young soldiers.
  • The Army says it will publish its internal investigations after the inquest, as Ministry of Defence figures record 281 service-member suicides from 2005 to 2024.