How Prince Charles Reacted to the News of His Ex-Wife Princess Diana's Death: "He Was Absolutely..."
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. She stated, "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 penned 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.
"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 his memoir 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. He tried to do his best 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. Diana and Charles formally separated just a year earlier. As such, Queen Elizabeth II disapproved of Charles's decision to travel to Paris, as per Town & Country magazine. Charles, at the time, was determined to bring his ex-wife's remains back to London. He may have been motivated by the public's and the royal family's expectations to show unity and respect in the face of tragedy given his scandalous affair and Diana's subsequent BBC Panorama Interview.
Charles was also fixed on the point that his ex-wife should be respected at any cost for the sake of their two boys. To return the Princess's body home, Charles took a plane 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.”
This article originally appeared 9 months ago.
