Princes William, Harry Are 'Trying To Make A Difference' In Honor Of Princess Diana
Twenty years after their mother's tragic death, Princes William and Harry are honoring the memory of Princess Diana.
As Entertainment Tonight reports, the royal brothers opened up about their mother's passing in the new documentary Diana, 7 Days. The two-hour special centers on the turbulent week following her death on Aug. 31, 1997, after a paparazzi-related car crash in Paris.
"There is this element of duty and responsibility that you have to do things you don't want to do," Prince William said in a newly released clip. "When it becomes that personal, walking behind your mother's funeral cortege, it goes to another level of duty."
The 35-year-old went on, "But I just kept thinking about what she would want and that she'd be proud of Harry and I. And effectively, she was there with us. It felt like she was walking alongside us to get us through it."
His younger brother, Prince Harry, agreed. "All I want to do is try and fill the holes my mother has left," the 32-year-old said. "And between myself and William, and everybody else that's in those privileged positions, to try and make a difference. And that's what it's about for us, trying to make a difference."
As Nicki Swift previously reported, the two are doing just that through their Heads Together initiative, which promotes mental health awareness—an issue they both relate to after struggling to process their grief.
As Prince William told British GQ in May 2017, "I am in a better place about it than I have been for a long time, where I can talk about her more openly, talk about her more honestly....It has taken me almost 20 years to get to that stage."
Similarly, Prince Harry revealed on the Mad World podcast in April that he had internalized his grief for years, spending much of his 20s in "total chaos" before seeking help.
As we wait for the U.S. premiere of Diana, 7 Days on NBC on Friday, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m., learn everything you need to know about the people's princess here.