The Real Reason Katie Couric Cried At Princess Diana's Funeral
Katie Couric's new memoir has certainly caused a stir. The book, titled "Going There," came out on October 26 — but was making headlines in the weeks leading up to its release, mostly due to the former "Today" anchor's brutal honesty about celebrities.
"Going There" contains bombshells throughout its 528 pages, describing not only Couric's professional and personal life, but also dishing the dirt on such disgraced stars as her former "Today" co-anchor Matt Lauer and former CBS head honcho Les Moonves. Needless to say, her life story isn't always so flattering — even when it comes to herself. In fact, Couric admitted in the book that she purposely left out a crucial, controversial quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg in order to "protect" the late Supreme Court justice.
While much of the memoir can be biting towards many people who have crossed paths with her, there are also moments where Couric shows warmth and empathy to those she covered during her time as a famed television journalist. One instance, in particular, is when she described the reason she became emotional at Princess Diana's funeral.
Katie Couric empathized with Prince William and Prince Harry
Princess Diana died in a tragic car crash while fleeing the paparazzi in August 1997. Her sudden death sent shockwaves not only throughout the United Kingdom, but throughout the world, as many grieved the loss of the "People's Princess."
Katie Couric had met Diana the month before, recalling the princess' "glowing" beauty — and sadness — in her memoir (via Insider). And in September, Couric was sent to London to cover Diana's public funeral. As she and co-anchor Tom Brokaw sat on a platform across from the church's entrance, Couric became emotional when she saw Prince William and Prince Harry, who were, respectively, only 15 and 12 years old at the time. She specifically recalled Harry's handwritten card, titled "Mummy," which lay on top of the casket.
As onlookers began to cry, Couric herself became emotional when she thought of her own life. During that time, her husband Jay Monahan had been diagnosed with colon cancer. When Couric saw the white slip written to "Mummy" — and watched the young princes solemnly walk behind the casket — she thought of her daughters, Caroline and Ellie, losing their father. "I realized that what I was seeing was not the passing of the most famous woman in the world," she wrote (per Insider), "It was two boys who'd lost a parent. And I thought of my girls."
Couric noted that Brokaw and those in the control room were understanding, panning the camera away from her while she "wiped my face and tried to pull myself together." Tragically, Couric's husband died just a year later.