Prince William has openly discussed the profound impact of his mother Princess Diana’s death on his life, admitting that at the time he “couldn’t understand” why people who had never met her were so grief-stricken.
The world was shocked to hear about the tragic passing of the late Princess of Wales in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997. It was Charles who delivered the heartbreaking news to young William and Harry while they were vacationing at Balmoral with Queen Elizabeth and other members of the Royal Family.
The public mourned deeply, their sorrow mirrored by the brave faces of William, then 15, and 12-year-old Harry at their mother’s funeral. Over the years, both princes have offered glimpses into how they dealt with the loss of their mother so publicly, the Mirror reports.
In the emotional ITV documentary ‘Diana, Our Mother’, which aired in 2017, William shared his determination for the tragedy not to defeat him, saying: “It’ll either make or break you. And I wouldn’t let it break me, I wanted it to make me. I wanted her to be proud of the person I’d become.
“I didn’t want her worried or her legacy to be, you know, that William and/or Harry were completely and utterly devastated by it.”
William also shared his memories of the moment he stepped out of Kensington Palace to meet the public who were mourning his mother, and was met with a sea of flowers. He recalled reading the heartfelt messages left in tribute to Diana.
