Princess Diana's Friend Says 'Spare' Could Give Prince Harry a 'Chance to Rebuild and Renew'

Simon Perry
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walks behind Queen Elizabeth II's coffin as it is transported on a gun carriage from Buckingham Palace to The Palace of Westminster ahead of her Lying-in-State on September 14, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II's coffin is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lay in state until the early morning of her funeral. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Prince Harry

Prince Harry has a chance to "rebuild and renew" now he has written and published his groundbreaking memoir Spare, one of his late mother's friends says.

The friend of Princess Diana tells PEOPLE it was "heartbreaking" to watch Harry, 38, relating the circumstances of the death of his mother following a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.

"It was so sad to see him talking about [it]. I'm so sad for his heartbreak," the friend says. But now that the book is released, the source adds, "This is now a chance to rebuild and renew."

While a reconciliation with his father, King Charles III, and his brother, Prince William, seems some way off in the wake of the revelations, the friend is hopeful that things can improve over time. "Maybe this is the end of a chapter, and hopefully things can get better," the source adds.

RELATED: Prince Harry Says He 'Wouldn't Have Got to This Moment' with Prince William If Mom Diana Was Alive

Prince Harry, Princess Diana
Prince Harry, Princess Diana

Karwai Tang/WireImage; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Prince Harry and Princess Diana

Prince Harry spoke about his mother during his chat with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday's episode of The Late Show. Asking about the rift between Harry and William, Colbert said, "Do you ever think about how she might handle this moment?"

"We wouldn't have got to this moment," Harry replied. "It's impossible to say where we would be now — where those relationships would be now — but there is no way that the distance between my brother and I would be the same."

Amid days of intense reaction to his memoir, Prince Harry opened up further about "the raw account" he offers in his candid book in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

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Prince Harry book
Prince Harry book

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE The book jacket of Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare'

"I don't want to tell anyone what to think of it and that includes my family," he said. "This book and its truths are in many ways a continuation of my own mental health journey. It's a raw account of my life — the good, the bad and everything in between."

RELATED: Prince Harry Shares His and Meghan Markle's Go-to In-N-Out Burger Order: 'So Good!'

"My hope has been to turn my pain into purpose, so if sharing my experience makes a positive difference in someone's life, well, I can't think of anything more rewarding than that!" he said.