"The shock never leaves you": Prince William opens up on finding out about Diana's death

Lauren Sharkey

Prince William has followed in his younger brother’s footsteps and spoken about his mother’s death.

In a new documentary, William is seen having an emotional conversation with a mother who lost her husband and son.

<i>Prince William said he is still in shock over his mother’s death 20 years ago [Photo: Getty]</i>
Prince William said he is still in shock over his mother’s death 20 years ago [Photo: Getty]

“The shock is the biggest thing, and I still it feel it 20 years later,” the Prince said on finding out his mother had died in a car crash.

“People think shock can’t last that long, but it does. It’s such an unbelievably big moment in your life and it never leaves you. You just learn to deal with it.”

A 15-year-old William was staying with the Queen at Balmoral when he was woken to be told about Diana’s passing.

<i>Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 [Photo: PA]</i>
Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 [Photo: PA]

The Mind Over Marathon documentary captures the Prince as he talks to PTSD sufferer Rhian Burke. Her one-year-old son died from pneumonia in February 2012. Just five days later, her husband took his own life.

The two-part series follows the group of runners working with William, Harry and Kate as part of their Heads Together campaign. Each individual has suffered from mental health issues and is training for this weekend’s London Marathon.

Heads Together – the mental health organisation started by the royal trio – is this year’s official marathon charity.

<i>Both William and Harry have spoken out about their mother’s death [Photo: PA]</i>
Both William and Harry have spoken out about their mother’s death [Photo: PA]

At a private screening of the documentary yesterday, William was heard saying he needed a “moment to calm myself down” after becoming visibly emotional.

“I really think this is a pivotal moment in the change to mental health, and that we are on the cusp of something really big,” the Prince added. “We need to make mental health normal, and we need to treat it in the same way we treat physical health. It has to be seen in the same way.”

Prince Harry recently revealed he sought counselling after struggling to come to terms with losing his mother, Diana, in 1997. He admitted that he had “been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous [public] occasions.”

William also had a deeply personal conversation with Lady Gaga on the importance of talking about mental health issues with friends and family.

Mind Over Marathon will air tomorrow night at 9pm on BBC One.

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