Why Prince Charles Feared For Princes William, Harry After Princess Diana’s Death

Prince Charles and Princess Diana are pictured attending a centenary service for the Royal College Of Music on Feb. 28, 1982 at Westminster Abbey, London. Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

When Prince Charles learned about Princess Diana’s death in 1997, he completely fell apart. Along with having to tell Prince William and Prince Harry their mother was gone, he was also concerned about how he would raise the two boys without his ex-wife.

In the 2017 documentary “Diana: 7 Days That Shook the Windsors,” biographer Anthony Holden claimed Diana’s death left Prince Charles feeling overwhelmed. The Prince of Wales was reportedly worried about being in charge of helping his sons cope with a traumatic loss.

“The only thing you can say at that stage that was tasteful was a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulder,” Holden explained.

“To generally discombobulate his life to which he would have certainly continued to do with some relish I think.”

According to former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, Charles was lucky enough to have a strong support system at the palace, specifically his father Prince Philip. “A member of the Balmoral staff noted that Prince Philip, who effectively lost his own mother at the age of ten,” she explained.

“He [Philip] was brilliantly effective with his grandsons, offering them gruff tenderness and outdoor activities like stalking and hiking to tire them out.”

Queen Elizabeth also stepped up to shield Prince William and Prince Harry from unwanted attention during the tragic time in their life. The Queen opted to stay at the royal residence in Balmoral following the news of Diana’s death rather than end the trip and return to London.

“The Queen was adamant that her place was at Balmoral with her grieving grandsons. Everyone rallied around the young princes. This was the first time in a long reign that the Queen was thinking about her family before her people,” Brown revealed.

The author noted that it was admirable of Queen Elizabeth to put her grandsons before her royal duties. Years after Princess Diana’s death, both William and Harry continue to honor their mother and keep her memory alive through various programs and charities.