Prince Charles’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death was one of utter devastation. Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles , vividly described his emotional turmoil, stating, “He was absolutely distraught. He fell apart,” as per the New York Times . This sentiment was echoed by Christopher Andersen in King: The Life of Charles III , who notes that Charles was ‘ashen and trembling’ upon hearing the tragic news. The depth of his grief was palpable, as evidenced by his spontaneous cry of pain that emanated from the depths of his heart.
“He let out a cry of pain that was so spontaneous and came from the heart,” recalled Andersen. “Palace staff rushed over to Charles’ room and found him collapsed in an armchair, weeping uncontrollably,” as per the author. In Spare , Prince Harry also described that fateful August 31, 1997, morning: “But his hand did fall once more on my knee and he said: It’s going to be OK. That was quite a lot for him. Fatherly, hopeful, kind. And so very untrue,” as per CBS News .
Harry also stated in the documentary Diana: 7 Days , “He was there for us. He was the one out of two left. And he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after. But he was going through the same grieving process as well.”
On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana lost her life in a car accident at the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France. For context, in 1996, Princess Diana and King Charles formally separated, so Diana passing away in an August car accident one year later would have certainly been shocking for the monarch.
Some reports allege the late Queen Elizabeth disapproved of Prince Charles’s choice to travel to Paris, such as this one from Town & Country . Charles, at the time, was determined to bring his ex-wife’s body back to London. King Charles may have been motivated by the public’s and the royal family’s expectations to show unity and respect in the face of tragedy in his choice to accompany her remains.
However, the latter was fixed on the point that his ex-wife should be respected at any cost. To return the Princess’s body home, Charles took a plane to Paris together with Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Diana’s sisters . The report also stated that he played a key role in organizing her funeral.
In the documentary Diana: 7 Days That Shook the Windsors , journalist Richard Kay talked about Charles’ argument with the late Queen. He stated, “This was a surprising and brave move. He was an ex-husband and had no right to be there other than as the father of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Charles wanted to take the royal flight to Paris, but the Queen wouldn’t allow it. Charles fought harder for Diana than he had ever fought for her in her lifetime.”
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on February 24, 2024. It has since been updated.