Princess Diana was a member of the British royal family and was viewed by many as the people’s princess. She was a doting mother to her two children, Prince William and Prince Harry, and was always caring for them dearly. During her time in the spotlight as a key member of the royal family due to her marriage with King Charles III, Diana was highly respected for her friendliness, charisma, activism and charity work. She was also well known for having an impeccable sense of style.
Once she became the Princess of Wales, Diana took on many royal duties and responsibilities and represented the royal family well at many events and functions across the Commonwealth. As a mother, much of her work centered around the upbringing of children. Diana also worked at balancing life as a mother and an important royal figure, and oftentimes would bring her sons with her during royal outings. She regularly broke royal traditions as she set out to be the type of mother she yearned to be.
Although she is no longer with us, Diana’s memory has continued to live on through her sons. On July 1, 2021, on what would have been the princess’ 60th birthday, a statue was unveiled by William and Harry in honor of their mother’s positive impact. They had a beautiful relationship with their mother while she was still alive.
Over the years, more about the relationship between Diana and her sons has come to light, including rare videos and unseen letters. Read on to find out more about how Diana was as a mother to William and Harry.
Even though Diana lived a very public life after becoming the Princess of Wales, there are still many moments of her life that have remained unknown or unseen by the general public. A rare video showcasing a sweet moment between Diana and William has recently resurfaced, and it is absolutely precious. In the video from 1993, Diana and William were seen laughing together, as they each looked extremely happy to be spending time with each other.
At a few points, William tried to hide his beaming smile behind one of his hands, but eventually gave up as he was so overcome with joy and happiness around his mother. The two couldn’t contain their giggles as they enjoyed a nice day out together.
During an ITV documentary from 2017 called “Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy,” Harry described what his mother was really like. He explained that she was a “total kid through and through,” as per the Independent. He added,” When everybody says to me, ‘so she was fun, give us an example,’ all I can hear is her laugh in my head.” Diana had always made sure to show her boys just how deeply she cared for them. Harry explained that when she would hug him and William, “she would just engulf you and squeeze you as tight as possible.”
Even though Diana is no longer with us, it’s clear her memory and legacy have continued to live on through William and Harry. They have continued to honor the late princess and highlight just how incredible she was as a mother.
Prince William, Princess Diana, Prince Harry (1993), (Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
Now that they’re older, Harry and William are able to reflect more on their late mother’s impact on the world, and on themselves.
“Losing your mother at such a young age does end up shaping your life massively, of course it does,” Harry said. “And now I find myself trying to be there and give advice to other people who are in similar positions.”
While William and the Duke of Sussex have been vocal about their adoration for Diana, it’s evident that Diana was just as vocal about her love for her two boys, both publicly and privately.
Paul Burrell, a former servant of the British Royal Household, worked as Diana’s butler for 10 years, from 1987 until her tragic death in 1997. Now the former butler has unveiled an unseen private letter that Princess Diana had once written to him.
The letter’s contents could be of significant importance in regards to Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent decision to resign as senior members of the royal family and the alleged differences their decision caused between Harry, William, and Charles.
Burrell didn’t unveil all of the late Princess’ letter, instead, he decided to post an excerpt on his Instagram that he felt would be significant in the context of the recent developments in the royal family. Underneath a black and white picture of Princess Diana smiling next to her sons William and Harry, Burrell shared a meaningful quote from the private letter:
“I love my boys to death and hope that the seeds I’ve planted will grow and bring the strength, knowledge, and stability that is needed,” Diana wrote.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (2021), (Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
In the post’s caption, Burrell revealed why he chose to post the letter’s excerpt at this point in time:
“I wanted to send my support to Harry, Meghan, and Archie as they embark on a new life so far away from our shores,” he shared. “I am reminded of these poignant words which Princess Diana wrote to me many years ago. They are a mother’s words of unconditional love which are as appropriate today as when she wrote them over 24 years ago.”
It seems very likely that reading his mother’s words might be a true support to Prince Harry as it became apparent that his thoughts were with his mother during eventful times. He mentioned her and her tragic death in his January 2020 speech when he addressed the rumors about the reason behind his and Meghan’s decision to resign as senior members of the royal family that had been circulating in the tabloids and gave his side of the truth.
Not only did he reference his mother, but his speech was also quite reminiscent of the late Princess Diana’s speech when she chose to step down from royal life following her divorce from Charles.
This is not the first time Burrell has posted something like this. Shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan had announced their decision, he shared a picture of the Prince and his late mother and commented that Diana “would want Harry and Meghan to be happy above all else.” Attached to the post was another excerpt of one of Diana’s private letters:
“I would look up and laugh and love and live.”
What do you think about Diana’s written words and parenting style? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to any royal family fan you know!