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London, United Kingdom | AFP | Two decades on from the death of princess Diana, her sons Princes William and Harry are working to keep her legacy alive with unusually emotional tributes after years of official silence.
As the 20th anniversary of her death on August 31 approaches, the brothers have opened up for the first time about their mother, her life, and her impact on them and on the causes she championed.
William was 15 and Harry 12 when Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
How deeply their loss affected them is something they have only recently begun to discuss.
“Twenty years on, Harry and I felt that it was an appropriate time to open up a bit more about our mother,” William said.
“We won’t speak as openly or publicly about her again.”
The pair featured in a 90-minute programme entitled “Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy” broadcast by British channel ITV earlier this year.
“This is the first time that the two of us have ever spoken about her as a mother. Arguably, probably a little bit too raw up until this point. It’s still raw,” said Harry.
Harry recently revealed that he sought help in the last few years as he struggled to deal with his suppressed grief.
– Celebrating Diana’s life –
In 2007, the princes staged a benefit concert at Wembley Stadium and a memorial service at which Harry gave a tribute.
But this year marks the first time that the brothers have spoken in such emotional depth.
In an interview with Newsweek magazine, Harry opened up about the trauma of having to walk behind his mother’s coffin through London for her funeral.
“I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today,” he said.
In those tense days 20 years ago, many Britons voiced anger at a perceived lack of empathy from the royal establishment.
