Did Princess Diana Instill This Set Of Values Within Prince Harry?

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Prince Harry is known as the "People's Prince," and for good reason. Like his mother, Princess Diana, Harry is one of the most popular royals in British history because of his relatability. The prince grew up in the spotlight under intense scrutiny, but won over British royal watchers with his commitment to doing good and helping the vulnerable. Harry actively supports charities focused on mental health and helping service veterans, while creating content alongside his wife, Meghan Markle, that aims to improve equity around the world.

While Harry's older brother, Prince William, is also very much committed to bettering humanity, there's no doubt that William leads a very regimented lifestyle as the future king. Therefore, he is not able to live as "normal" of a life as his younger brother — particularly after Harry stepped down from his position as a senior royal and he, Meghan, and their son Archie moved to California. The brothers' differences have put them at odds with each other over the years, but the siblings' mission to create meaningful change and contribute to society was instilled in them at an early age by their mother. Here's how the late Princess Di influenced her sons' future.

Princess Diana wanted Prince Harry to understand real world struggles

Princess Diana wanted Prince William and Prince Harry to have relatively normal childhoods. Christopher Andersen, royal author of "Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan," told Vanity Fair that Diana wanted her sons to be empathetic towards commoners and declined to give them special treatment. "That meant trips to McDonald's, amusement parks, go-kart tracks, and the movies — where, in sharp contrast to their royal cousins, she made the princes wait in line with everybody else," Andersen noted. 

Diana also wanted to share pivotal moments with her children without cameras or media around. Ken Wharfe, William's former bodyguard, told ABC News that Diana took William on private visits to homeless shelters to see what life for the impoverished was like. Harry mentioned some of the aforementioned trips with his mother in the 2017 documentary, "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy," noting (via E! News) that Diana "cherished those moments of privacy and being able to be that mother."

Diana may have died over 20 years ago, but her legacy can be seen in how her sons raise their children. While William and Kate Middleton strive for a sense of normalcy with their own kids (including Prince George, who is third in line to the throne), Harry and Meghan have an easier time giving their children that life — and are adamant about how they are raised. As a source told Entertainment Tonight, "[Archie and Lilibet] are expected to one day have regular jobs, and will be raised to appreciate the differences in society."