Prince Harry might be a royal, but no matter the riches and fame, nothing can rid one of the sorrows and heartbreak associated with the loss a loved one.
The Duke of Sussex was just 12 years old when his mother Diana died suddenly in a car accident in 1997. The news of the beloved Princess’ death sent millions across the globe into mourning, but Prince Harry grieved the loss of his mother just like any other child.
The Duke of Sussex was just 12 years old when his mother Diana died suddenly in a car accident in 1997. The news of the beloved Princess’ death sent millions across the globe into mourning, but Prince Harry grieved the loss of his mother just like any other child.
“I never really dealt with what had happened. It was a lot of buried emotion,” Harry admitted in an interview with Peopleback in 2016. “For a huge part of my life, I didn’t really want to think about it.
During a world tour accompanied by his wife Meghan Markle in 2018, the Prince met a boy named Otia Nante in New Zealand who was also dealing with the loss of his own mother. The boy was with his grandmother, who handed a letter to the Prince the boy had written for him. She explained to the Duke that Otia could relate to him because of the loss of his mother, which caused Harry to pause and speak to him.
“Life will always be alright. You know that?” He explained. “I’ve made it to 34 years old, and life is great. I have a beautiful wife and a baby on the way. Your life is going to be sorted. Don’t you worry about that.”
The Prince then went on to do something extraordinary: he posed for a rare selfie with the boy, breaking royal family protocol.
The Duke is known for his outspoken advocacy for mental illness awareness and runs a mental health initiative along with his brother Prince William and their wives Megan Markle and Kate Middleton called Heads Together.
“All I want to do is make my mother incredibly proud,” he told People Magazine.
Wife Meghan Markle has once stated in a separate interview she believes the death of Princess Diana has shaped the Prince into the compassionate, strong individual we all know and love.
“I think everything about Harry’s thoughtfulness is – and the inclusion of that and obviously not being able to meet his mom it’s so important to me to – to know that she’s a part of this with us.”