Prince William opens up about how the media affected his mother's life

'Being chased by 30 guys on motorbikes who block your path, who spit at you, who shout at you, and who react really badly to get a reaction from you, and make a woman cry in public to get the photographs, I don’t believe that is appropriate.'

It's been a few days since the one-off documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy aired on TV but the public are still reeling from the candidness of the Princes in it.

Not only did the documentary reveal lovely snippets of Princess Diana's humour (including this practical joke she played on Prince William), it also opened the public's eyes to heartbreaking moments, too, like the the final phone call Prince William and Prince Harry had with their mother before she died.

But, the most thought-provoking element to come out of it was how much general press intrusion truly affected Princess Diana. With snippets showing paparazzi hounding Diana, it's no surprise Prince William holds such contempt for the media climate his mother was surrounded by at the time.

'Back then, 20 years ago, people would be utterly appalled if they knew what went on,' he says on camera. 'I think it was an industry that lost its way quite heavily. Lost its sense of decency, lost its perspective on what was appropriate.'

'You are the Princess of Wales, you are a mother. I don’t believe being chased by 30 guys on motorbikes who block your path, who spit at you, who shout at you, and who react really badly to get a reaction from you, and make a woman cry in public to get the photographs, I don’t believe that is appropriate.'

'I certainly remember most of the time she cried about anything was about press intrusion,' he admits. 'Her and I, we lived through that. And one lesson I’ve learnt is that you never let them in too far, because it’s very difficult to get them back out again. And you’ve got to maintain a barrier and a boundary, and if you cross it – if both sides cross it – a lot of pain and problems can come from it.'

And, considering his history with the press, it's no surprise Prince William is so fiercely private with his own family, banning media from private functions and ensuring the upmost security around Kensington Palace.