A woman dedicated to her children, whose motherhood has served as an example to the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex
The death of Princess Diana in 1997 has marked the lives of her sons, Princes Harry and William, who were 12 and 15 years old at the time, respectively. From that moment, nothing was ever the same for them and they have had to carry the great weight of loss and grief during these 24 years that they have spent without the support and fundamental figure of their mother.
After the tragic accident that cost Lady Di her life, the two brothers have recalled on numerous occasions the trauma they experienced due to this painful event that marked their childhood and youth, but they have also spoken with pride about the personal and social legacy that the Princess left. . "When she died, there was such an outpouring of emotion and love that it was quite shocking. It was beautiful at the same time, and it was amazing.
Now looking back, it was admirable that our mother had a huge effect on so many people," the prince recalled. Harry in a documentary for BBC1 where they both participated.
For a long time, none of the brothers have felt comfortable talking about her mother or her tragic end, but the positive impact she had on millions of people around the world has pushed them to remember her as she deserves. Prince William spoke about her grief in an interview for GQ where he acknowledged that, more than 20 years after her death, "I can talk about her more openly, more honestly and remember her better."
They have both felt obliged to return all the affection and love she gave them and "fulfill our duties as her children to protect her from her." Diana became a royal figure close to the people, an example for all those who wanted to fight for human rights and a style icon. But, if the Princess of Wales carried something with pride, it was the title of her mother.
Although the pain has been present during these 24 years, the happiness caused by good memories has been greater for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Sussex, who have described their mother as "very informal", "restless" and " naughty". In the documentary Diana, our mother: her life and legacy, which was released in 2017 to commemorate her figure, the brothers talked about some of the most beautiful moments they spent with her.
Lady Di was faithful to all the events that were related to her children, which is why she attended the soccer games in which they played as a spectator, despite the presence of the press. They remember it as something very fun, since she encouraged them to "trade" sweets and chocolate and save them to later enjoy a feast together.
Prince William said in the documentary that one of the best memories he has of her mother is when, when she was just 12 or 13 years old, Princess Diana brought iconic personalities such as Cindy Crawford or Naomi Campbell to Kensington Palace. "I had posters of them on my wall and I turned red, I didn't know very well what to say and, somewhat clumsily, I think I fell down the stairs," the Duke of Cambridge confessed with amusement. Her little brother explained that when people ask her about a funny moment with her mother, all she can do is "hear her laugh in my head." Still, he describes her as "a girl through and through" who constantly told them, "Be as naughty as you want, but don't get caught."
Princess Diana had no qualms about breaking protocol when it came to her children. In fact, on numerous occasions she took the Princes with her to royal engagements such as the International Horse Exhibition in London, where the little ones did not stop showing her with numerous gestures of affection the love they felt for her, regardless of the presence of the cameras.
Prince Harry recalled his mother's hugs, noting that she "wrapped you around and squeezed you as tight as possible." He added in the documentary in honor of the Princess of Wales that she could remember daily how she felt every time she ran towards them to wrap her arms around them.
As Harry and Guillermo have explained, her mother loved to play with them and sometimes make them go through moments of embarrassment. The Duke of Cambridge stressed that she was a great fan of writing letters and that, sometimes, she sent some to school. "I didn't dare open them in case the teachers or anyone else in the class could read them," he noted wistfully.
Since Prince William was born in 1992, and Harry followed two years later, her two children became the center of Diana's life. As a mother she carried out common and everyday activities, outside of royal standards. It was common to see her take the children in her car to Wetherby School where they completed their primary education.
