Prince Harry Comforted Kids Grieving the Loss of Their Mom

Photo credit: ANDREW FOSKER/SECONDS LEFT/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Photo credit: ANDREW FOSKER/SECONDS LEFT/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

From Redbook

Prince Harry famously lost his mother nearly 20 years ago, but it wasn't until recently that he opened up about how deeply it affected him, and how he finally sought professional help to work on coming to terms with the tragedy. This weekend, he paid it forward for two fellow Britons who experienced their own loss, assuring them that "it will get better."

Isaac, 13, and Emily Briggs, 11, lost their mother last year when she was hit and killed by a cyclist in London - something Prince Harry can relate to, having lost his mother when he was 12 after the 1997 car accident in Paris. But on Saturday, during halftime at the Royal Navy and Army rugby match in London, the siblings met and chatted with the British royal. "He just told us everything will be OK, even though everything seems really bad at the moment, it will get better," Emily told The Telegraph.

Isaac added that Prince Harry was a "normal guy," saying,"We talked about the cadets, we talked about rugby, about losing parents - he was the same age I was and [it happened] in kind of a similar way."

The kids' father, Matt, thought it was important for his son and daughter to meet the prince. "They know his story," he said, adding that it was "a very, very special moment" for them to talk to him alone. "Your grief as a husband is different to grief as a child, I just wanted to stand back and let them have that moment," he said.

Prince Harry also sat down with The Telegraph for the inaugural episode of their Mad World podcast, discussing the same subject. The 33-year-old detailed how he avoided thinking about his mother's death through his teens and 20s, sending him into an internal chaos. "I can safely say that losing my mom at the age of 12 and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years has had quite a serious effect on not only my personal life but also my work as well," he said.

But with the support of his brother, Prince William, he sought professional help and began to make positive steps forward in his life. Prince Harry says talking is the best place to start. "No matter who you are, the conversation has to be the beginning," he said.

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From Redbook

Prince Harry famously lost his mother nearly 20 years ago, but it wasn't until recently that he opened up about how deeply it affected him, and how he finally sought professional help to work on coming to terms with the tragedy. This weekend, he paid it forward for two fellow Britons who experienced their own loss, assuring them that "it will get better."

Isaac, 13, and Emily Briggs, 11, lost their mother last year when she was hit and killed by a cyclist in London - something Prince Harry can relate to, having lost his mother when he was 12 after the 1997 car accident in Paris. But on Saturday, during halftime at the Royal Navy and Army rugby match in London, the siblings met and chatted with the British royal. "He just told us everything will be OK, even though everything seems really bad at the moment, it will get better," Emily told The Telegraph.

Isaac added that Prince Harry was a "normal guy," saying,"We talked about the cadets, we talked about rugby, about losing parents - he was the same age I was and [it happened] in kind of a similar way."

The kids' father, Matt, thought it was important for his son and daughter to meet the prince. "They know his story," he said, adding that it was "a very, very special moment" for them to talk to him alone. "Your grief as a husband is different to grief as a child, I just wanted to stand back and let them have that moment," he said.

Prince Harry also sat down with The Telegraph for the inaugural episode of their Mad World podcast, discussing the same subject. The 33-year-old detailed how he avoided thinking about his mother's death through his teens and 20s, sending him into an internal chaos. "I can safely say that losing my mom at the age of 12 and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years has had quite a serious effect on not only my personal life but also my work as well," he said.

But with the support of his brother, Prince William, he sought professional help and began to make positive steps forward in his life. Prince Harry says talking is the best place to start. "No matter who you are, the conversation has to be the beginning," he said.

Follow Redbook on Facebook.

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