Princess Diana was ‘walking beside us’ during funeral reveals emotional Prince William
PRINCESS Diana “walked beside” Prince William and Harry as they followed her funeral cortege, her eldest son has revealed in an emotional interview.
As the Royal Family marks the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death, Prince William has revealed for the first time how he felt his mother beside him at her funeral.
PRINCE CHARLES (LIFE TIME OF PICTURES BY PA)
1997
Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, Earl Althorp and Duke of Edinburgh walk behind Diana, The Princess of Wales’ funeral cortege.
Diana’s first born son and second in line to the throne, said he felt Diana’s presence beside him as he walked behind her coffin at the funeral which was watched by millions worldwide.
The Prince, now a father himself, was just 15 when the Royal Family laid Diana to rest.
During a BBC documentary to mark the 20th anniversary the Duke of Cambridge said: “It was one of the hardest thing I’ve ever done that walk. It felt she was almost walking along beside us to get us through it.”
Diana, 7 Days, which will be broadcast on Sunday 27 August and will feature intimate interviews with the princes.
Harry will reveal how at 12 years old he touched the hands of mourners, only to feel them wet with “tears they had wiped away”.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Diana’s family will also feature in the documentary.
The Princes, avid campaigners for mental heath issues, have opened up to the public in the last year as they share their grief to help others do the same.
William, the patron of Child Bereavement UK, revealed in a documentary aired earlier this month he felt his mother’s presence when he wed the Duchess of Cambridge.
The nation’s grief for Diana changed the public relationship with the Royals, but her sons, as their mother did, have managed to capture the nation’s hearts.
Prince Harry said he does not think he should have been asked to walk behind his mother’s coffin.
Harry and William alongside Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer all walked behind the coffin in emotional scenes.
Prince Harry told Angela Levin in an exclusive interview with Newsweek magazine: “My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television.
“I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”
Tony Blair’s former head of government relations Anji Hunter said Prince William had refused to take part in the public procession and others said Earl Spencer wanted to walk alone behind his sister.
A team began working to persuade William to change his mind.
Ms Hunter said a telephone conference call with Balmoral via a big loudspeaker box was arranged.
She said: “I can remember — it sends a tingle up my back, actually.
“We were all talking about how William and Harry should be involved and suddenly from this box came Prince Philip’s voice.
“We hadn’t heard from him before, but he was really anguished.
“It’s about the boys,’ he cried, ‘they’ve lost their mother’.
“I thought, ‘My God, there’s a bit of suffering going on up there’.”
Source: EXPRESS CO UK
Tags: Prince William, Prince Harry, William and Harry, Funeral, Diana’s Funeral, Royals, Sad News, Government, Circumstances, Diana’s life
