Prince William Admits He Went Through a "Very Angry" Period After Diana's Death
Losing a parent at any age is difficult, but Prince William was only 15 when Princess Diana died so unexpectedly. Now the royal is using his own experience with grief to help other families in pain. While visiting the nonprofit Child Bereavement UK yesterday, the Prince spoke about the "very angry" period he went through after his mother's death, E! News reports.
"He told us how he felt angry when she died. He very specifically used that word 'anger,'" mom Lorna Ireland told the press afterward. Her 12-year-old son Shinobi Irons lost his grandmother three years ago, and spent time with Prince William at the grief counseling center in London. Talking to the royal was "very personal, and it was very special," Ireland added.
While the Prince recalled the intense emotions he felt, he also gave the children present an important piece of advice: Talk about it.
Six years ago, 9-year-old Aoife lost her father to pancreatic cancer. "Do you know what happened to me," Prince William reportedly asked her. "I lost my mummy when I was very young too. I was [15] and my brother was 12. So we lost our mummy when we were young as well. Do you speak about your daddy? It's very important to talk about it, very, very important."
The surprisingly personal moment touched Aiofe's mom, Marie. "I couldn't believe it when he started to talk about his mother. It was very emotional and I was willing myself not to start to cry. I almost did," she told reporters afterward. "I am telling my children that if they take anything away from this day, it is what he said about how important it is to talk. Kids do not forget that."
Both Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge visited the center's support group and participated in a "memory jar" activity, but the heir to the throne holds a special role there as well. "The Duke of Cambridge has been our royal patron since 2009, and it's really important for him to see our work at close quarters," said Ann Chalmers, Chief Executive of Child Bereavement UK. And he's especially suited for the job, she believes.
"One of the things that's really apparent when you hear the Duke talking to the families is that he has a real empathy and depth of understanding of their situations," Chalmers commented."He's also a fantastic listener and really wants to learn from the families what the challenges are that they're facing, and in that there are some things he can recognize from his own experiences."
While the Prince suffered an enormous loss almost 20 years ago, the work he does now undoubtedly honors his mom's same caring spirit.
[h/t E! News]
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