Prince Harry has opened up about the heartbreaking details of Princess Diana’s funeral

"I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances"

(Image credit: WireImage)

"I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances"

Today marks 25 years since Princess Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris.

Royal family members, high profile figures and members of the public have been honouring the day by sharing anecdotes and memories about the People's Princess.

Prince William and Prince Harry's past words have resurfaced, with the brothers previously opening up on the 20th anniversary about their mother's death and how it affected them.

Prince Harry in particular has been very open about the effect that Princess Diana's death had on him, and his struggles with mental health because of it, explaining how he suppressed his feelings for years.

Speaking candidly about his unprocessed grief, Prince Harry opened up to The Telegraph’s Bryony Gordon in the first episode of her new podcast Mad World back in 2017, explaining: "I can safely say that losing my mum 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 continued: "My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help?"

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(Image credit: AFP via Getty Images)

In a past interview with Angela Levin in Newsweek magazine, Prince Harry opened up about his mother’s funeral in 1997, where at just 12 years old, he walked behind his mother’s coffin in a procession through London with Prince Charles, Prince Philip, Prince William and Earl Spencer.

"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," the 37-year-old prince recalled. "I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today."

The two princes are thought to be marking the 25th anniversary of their mother's death privately.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.