This is How Prince William and Prince Harry Reacted to Their Mother’s Death

The sixth season of The Crown , which delves into contemporary events surrounding the royal family , has stirred reactions among viewers regarding its portrayal of the late Diana’s (Princess of Wales) passing. In the aftermath of her tragic car accident on August 31, 1997, her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry , notably refrained from publicly addressing their huge loss. Yet, in a shift noted in recent times, both princes have begun to share some of their memories and feelings about their mother in interviews with the press, as detailed by Town and Country Magazine .

In the BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days , her younger son Harry recounted the moment he received the heartbreaking news of Diana’s passing and expressed gratitude towards his father for his openness in explaining the circumstances surrounding her death. He said, “One of the hardest things for a parent to have to do is to tell your children that your other parent has died.”

Prince Harry further said, “How you deal with that? I don’t know. But you know, 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,” as reported by TODAY . Additionally, William recalled feeling ‘completely numb,’ ‘disorientated,’ and ‘dizzy’ after hearing the news.

In 2017, Diana’s sons took the opportunity provided by the HBO documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy to share their experiences of coping with the loss of their mother during their young years. William and Harry revealed that their final moments of connection with Diana revolved around nightly phone conversations, a routine that persisted following Diana’s separation from Prince Charles. Harry said, “All I do remember is probably, you know, regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was. And if I’d known that was the last time I was going to speak to my mother—the things I would have said to her.”

When William and Harry heard about Diana’s death, they were very sad. William said, “There’s nothing like it in the world. 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.”

Right after Diana died, the royal family tried to talk to the young princes about their mom’s death. William recalled, “The family came together and Harry and I tried to talk as best we could about it. But being so small at that age, it was very difficult to communicate or understand your feelings. It’s…it’s very complicated.” Harry said, “The first time I cried was at the funeral on the island…and only since then, maybe once. So, you know, there’s a lot of grief that still needs to be let out.”

Even though they were sad, the boys had to act happy in public and try to be strong, but there’s no denying that losing their mom at such a young age has been hard for them over the years. William also said he tries hard to make sure his children remember Diana. “I think she would be proud of everything Harry and I have come through, having lost her. And that gives me positivity and strength to know that I can face anything the world can throw at me,” William said.