Prince Harry Admits He ‘Didn’t Want to Believe or Accept’ Princess Diana’s Death When He Was Young

Opening up. Prince Harry’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death was revealed in the new children’s book, Hospital by the Hill. The Duke of Sussex wrote the foreword for the book, which was written by Chris Connaughton and is for children and or young people who have lost parents or loved ones to the current health crisis.

In the foreword, Harry opened up about how he “didn’t want to believe” or “accept” his mother’s death when he learned that she had been killed in a car accident when he was 12 years old. “If you are reading this book, it’s because you’ve lost your parent or a loved one, and while I wish I was able to hug you right now, I hope this story is able to provide you comfort in knowing that you’re not alone,” Harry wrote. “When I was a young boy I lost my mum. At the time I didn’t want to believe it or accept it, and it left a huge hole inside of me.”

He continued, “I know how you feel, and I want to assure you that over time that hole will be filled with so much love and support. We all cope with loss in a different way, but when a parent goes to heaven, I was told their spirit, their love and the memories of them do not. They are always with you and you can hold onto them forever. I find this to be true.”

Harry ended his foreword by telling young readers that their sadness will pass with time and only make them stronger. “Now, I never met them, but I know this person was special to you, and they were someone incredibly kind, caring and loving because of where they chose to work. Helping others is one of the most important jobs anyone can ever do,” Harry wrote. “You may feel alone, you may feel sad, you may feel angry, you may feel bad. This feeling will pass.”

He continued, “And I will make a promise to you – you will feel better and stronger once you are ready to talk about how it makes you feel. I hope this book helps remind you of just how special your parent or loved one was. And how special you are too.”

Hospital by the Hill, which was illustrated by Fay Troote, tells the story of a young person coming to terms with the death of their mother, who was a frontline worker at a hospital. The book is free and available to any child or young person in the United Kingdom, who has experienced a similar loss.

Diana—who shared Harry and his older brother, Prince William, with her ex-husband, Prince Charles—died on August 31, 1997, after her car crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France, following a chase from the paparazzi. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Harry opened up about how he doesn’t want the same fate to happen to his wife, Meghan Markle, who has also faced similar media backlash to Diana since she became a member of the British royal family.

“My biggest concern was history repeating itself,” Harry told Oprah referencing his mother’s death. He continued, “For me, I’m just really relieved and happy to be sitting here, talking to you with my wife by my side. Because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for her [Diana] going through this process by herself all those years ago. Because it has been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we have each other.”