Prince Harry Says He 'Really Regrets' Not Talking About His Mother's Death Sooner
Prince Harry says he has only recently been able to talk about the death of his mother Princess Diana – and that he "really regrets" not doing so sooner.
The royal opened up at a barbecue he hosted at his Kensington Palace home recently for Heads Together, the mental health initiative he is spearheading with Prince William and Princess Kate. Their three-pronged approach, first reported by PEOPLE in February and officially launched with a PSA in April, emphasizes de-stigmatizing mental health issues. For the barbeque, Harry, 31, invited several well-known sports personalities to discuss their own struggles.
Speaking of his mom, who died in a car crash in 1997, he told former England soccer player Rio Ferdinand in a BBC video from the event, "Everything can be okay, but I really regret not ever talking about it for the first 28 years of my life – I never talked about it." Ferdinand's wife died from cancer last year and he asked Harry for advice on how to discuss his grief with their three children.
"Everyone can suffer from mental health, whether you're a member of the royal family, whether you're a soldier or a sports star," added Harry.
In May, Harry spoke with PEOPLE for a cover story in which he discussed his mother's lasting impact on his life and current work.
"All I want to do is make my mother incredibly proud," he said. "That's all I've ever wanted to do."
Prince William, Princess Kate and Prince Harry Launch Their 'Heads Together' Campaign
"When she died there was a gaping hole, not just for us but also for a huge amount of people across the world," he said. "If I can try and fill a very small part of that, then job done. I will have to, in a good way, spend the rest of my life trying to fill that void as much as possible. And so will William."
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Flipping burgers and playing French cricket with superstar U.K. athletes Ferdinand, runner Dame Kelly Holmes, sprinter Iwan Thomas, cricketer Jonathan Trott and cyclist Victoria Pendleton – some of whom have battled depression during their careers – Harry used the event to highlight that anyone, regardless of status, achievements or appearance to the outside world, can suffer from mental health issues.
"It is okay to suffer, but as long as you talk about it. It is not a weakness. Weakness is having a problem and not recognizing it and not solving that problem," Harry told the BBC at the event, which took place earlier this month.
