The world mourned the painful exit of Princess Diana alongside her young sons Prince Harry and Prince William, who struggled to process their grief for many years.
Six days after the devastating accident that snatched the life of Diana, the Princess of Wales, the world watched her young sons Prince Harry and Prince William bravely walk the burial procession until her final resting place.
Many images were taken of the boys at all angles, but even at their young ages, it was hard to tell their emotions. So Harry and William masked their feelings, trying to get through that harrowing day. But the ghastly bruise from their mom’s death ran more profound, and they carried the gruesome memories until adulthood. Here’s a look through how they live with the pain.
Harry and William Speak Out For The First Time
Over 2.5 billion people saw the young princes, Harry, 12, and William,15, stoically walk the long trail of Diana’s procession until she was laid to rest on a small island at the Althorp Estate. Harry recalled in the HBO documentary, “Diana, Our Mother,” that the first time he cried was on the Island.
Since then, Harry lived within a deep emotional cocoon where he constantly thought about their last conversation. The duke of Sussex shared that if he knew it was the last time he would ever hear from her, he would have said more things to her. The prince noted:
“I can’t really, necessarily, remember what I said,” Harry said in Diana, Our Mother. But all I do remember is probably, you know, regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was.”
Prince William recalled how he felt the first time they learned of Diana’s demise. He stated that there was “nothing like it in the world.” The dad-of-three tried to describe how he felt:
“There really isn’t. It’s like an earthquake has just run through the house and through your life and everything. Your mind is completely split. And it took me a while for it to actually sink in.”
Speaking about the cortege, Harry explained that it was a whole lot, trying to understand all that was going on after his mother’s death. And as if that confused state was not enough, he had to endure the long walk during the burial. Harry added that he felt it was too much for a child.
The Brothers Looked After Each Other
For years Harry and William had their feelings pent up, and although the other royal family members tried to help them with their grief, the brothers still struggled. However, they found a way around it by holding on to each other.
According to Richard Kay for Daily Mail, Diana’s death shattered her sons’ childhood years, but holding on to each other helped them pull through. Kay described the pair’s relationship as a “special” one fostered by “duty and loss.” Kay continued:
“Their uncanny ability to finish each other’s sentences, to know what the other is thinking before they have a chance to speak reveals a bond that many thought had ended with childhood.”
As they grew older, Harry and William grew closer rather than grow apart. Their shared trauma gave way for mutual humor, which they got from their late mom. The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex also played each other’s best man when it came to taking wives.
Prince William Found Additional Comfort
While he was happy to have his beloved younger brother, Prince William had another safe space. The famed royal found comfort in Scotland, albeit the city held a bitter-sweet feeling for him.
According to the 38-year-old, it was in Balmoral Scotland that he learned of his mother’s painful death. It was also there he sought comfort in for a few days before her burial.
Scotland was also dear to him because it was where he met his longtime wife, Kate Middleton. William has shared that he and Middleton taught their kids about their sweet sentiments for Scotland.
The future King of England revealed that Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis already know how dear the country is to them. Furthermore, he stated that they were also beginning to build their own memories there.
Through it all, Harry and William have found a way to turn their grief into good works that their mother would be proud of. From humanitarian services to carrying out family obligations, the two keep seeing to it that her legacy lives on.
