host Fiona Bruce was visibly moved by a First World War letter presented to her, one so poignant that she struggled to vocalise its contents.

During a visit to Chenies Manor House in Buckinghamshire, an array of extraordinary and at times bizarre items are unveiled to the experts, yet it was a heartfelt correspondence that stole the spotlight.

A touching encounter unfolded as a pensioner proudly offered Fiona Bruce a profoundly sentimental letter, provoking an emotional response from both the guest and the presenter herself.

Fiona introduced the segment with notable feeling: "We see quite a few letters written during the First World War, to be opened in the event of the writer's death, but when I saw this, I thought it was the most moving letter I had ever seen. This was written to your grandmother."

Fiona then confessed: "I can't actually get through it. So I'm going to ask you to read it out," which led to a chuckle from the owner: "I don't know if I can."

She then continued: "Well it was sent from the 1st Hampshire regiment on October 4, 1916, and he says 'My darling Vera, by this, you will know that I've been killed.

"'I meant to ask you to be engaged to me but when I was on leave, I was too frightened to say anything.

"'I loved you very, very much and would have done anything for you. However, we may meet in another life.

"'With best love, ever your own loving boy, Harry.'".

During an emotionally charged moment on the show, Fiona and a guest exchanged a touching look, with the host notably moved as she reached toward her heart.

The guest was visibly affected, admitting through tears: "I've read it so many times."

In a poignant comment, Fiona reflected: "Oh my goodness. And it just talks of a love lost, hopes dashed, a life that could have been lived and never was."

The conversation took another turn when the guest observed, "Of course, if he had lived, I wouldn't be here, because she married someone else afterwards," highlighting the bittersweet truth behind the story."

When asked about whether her grandmother ever talked of the letter, the guest recounted, "I had a suitcase of old memorabilia of my grandmother's after she died and when I went through it with all the other rather mundane things, there was this letter.

"I remembered seeing a photograph and I'm sure it said Harry but the album I no longer have got, it's with another relative."

Taking a proactive step, she explained her process: "So I emailed them and said 'I'm sure there's a picture in 1916 of someone called Harry' and there was."

But the narrative didn't conclude there as the guest's email correspondence with an Australian cousin unearthed another remarkable piece of the puzzle: "[She] said: 'I don't believe it. On gran's deathbed, she gave me this locket. And she said it was of someone who she was engaged to.' But she wasn't quite engaged. But he wanted to be."

Receiving confirmation, she shared the revelation: "She got a picture of that locket which she sent to me and that was him and this was her."

Fiona remarked: "And what might have been. And the fact she had this locket on her deathbed with his photograph in", highlighting the enduring affection the guest's grandmother held for her lost love, Harry.

The guest added: "So she harboured that desire forever", to which Fiona empathetically responded: "For all her life."

The guest then noted: "Yes, and she was 91 or 92 when she died," with Fiona poignantly concluded the conversation with: "Well she obviously loved him just as much as she kept this locket all her life."

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