King Charles’ biggest regret in life, according to Christopher Andersen’s new book, The King: The Life of Charles III, was making Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind their late mother Princess Diana’s coffin during her funeral procession in 1997. The princes were just 15 and 12 years old respectively when their mother died, and according to Andersen, the moment is something that “haunts” both the King and his sons to this day.
Royal Author Reveals King Charles’ Biggest Regret In New Book
Andersen went into more detail about the new monarch’s feelings when talking with Us Weekly while promoting his new book, saying: “I think it haunts him because it haunts them, and they’ve spoken about it.”
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“I’ve written that I believe it’s a form of PTSD,” Andersen continued, before revealing that Prince Harry, now 38, has found it “triggering” to fly into London, as it brings back memories from the funeral. “He said it reminds him of that day when he had to walk behind the coffin, and they were more or less bullied into doing it by the palace – by the men in grey who really run the palace, the people that Diana used to complain about,” he continued. “I think both William and Harry thought, ‘Who are these strangers who never met her?’ So, they were angry about what had happened. And Charles, I think, understands that to some extent he was responsible for them having to suffer through that.”
“Diana’s brother has also said that he felt that he was tricked into doing it and regrets it,” Andersen added. “He said it was like walking through a tunnel of grief.” Princess Diana’s brother previously told People in 2017’s The Story of Diana that he was concerned about what it would do to the young princes – Harry in particular – saying: “I was just so worried — what a trauma for a little chap to walk behind his mum’s body. It’s just awful. And, actually, I tried to stop that happening, to be honest.”
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Prince Harry Discusses His Mother’s Funeral In His Memoir
Although we don’t know the exact subjects that Prince Harry will discuss in his bombshell memoir, Spare, which is out on January 10th, 2023, the publisher confirmed that the exact moment he and older brother Prince William walked behind their mother’s coffin will be discussed. It will be the first time that either of the brothers will go into such great detail surrounding the events of the funeral (although they have touched on it very briefly over the years) and the first time we will read about Prince Harry’s feelings before, during, and after the funeral, as well as his grief following his mother’s death.
PRINCE HARRY MEMOIR: Prince Harry’s publisher is dropping a few clues about what to expect from his upcoming memoir, “Spare.” It will deal extensively with Harry’s pain after losing his mother, Princess Diana. pic.twitter.com/dtPvR6sT6r
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) October 27, 2022
“It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow — and horror,” read a statement from Penguin Random House, who are publishing the memoir. “As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling – and how their lives would play out from that point on.”
Prince Harry’s Previous Comments On The Late Princess Diana’s Death
The memoir won’t be the very first time that Prince Harry will discuss his mother’s death, or the funeral. In a 2017 interview with Newsweek, the Duke of Sussex said: “My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television. I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”
In the BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days, Prince Harry revealed it was a “group decision” to have the brothers walking behind the coffin. “But before I knew it, I found myself with a suit on with a black tie and a white shirt, I think, and I was part of it,” he said. “Genuinely, I don’t have an opinion on whether that was right or wrong. I am glad I was part of it. Looking back on it now, I am very glad I was part of it.”
Prince William Previously Discusses His Mother’s Funeral
The new Prince of Wales has also briefly discussed his involvement in his mother’s funeral. “It wasn’t an easy decision, and it was a collective family decision to do that,” he said in the same documentary at the time. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But we were overwhelmed by how many people turned out, it was just incredible. There was that balance between duty and family, and that’s what we had to do.”
