Britain's Prince William has sent a handwritten letter of support to the owner of a historic furniture store destroyed during the London riots in August.

The burnt-out House of Reeves furniture store was one of the defining images that came to symbolize the riots, which started in London and spread to several other cities.

The store in south London was a local landmark that had been run for 144 years by five generations of the Reeves family.

The company is operating from a location near the original store, which saw its main showroom go up in flames. The Daily Telegraph reported that Prince William wrote that he is looking forward to visiting the new shop soon.

Co-owner Trevor Reeves did not disclose any details of the Prince's message, saying it was a personal letter to him and his father. But he described the tone of the note as “a very kind letter and very supportive of the family.”