Prince William Reveals His Grandfather Urged Him And Harry To Walk Behind Princess Diana’s Casket At Funeral
It’s hard to forget the image of a young Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, somberly walking behind their mother’s casket at her funeral procession. But after years of wondering who gave the boys that daunting task, it has been revealed that Prince Philip made the decision for the then 15-year-old William and 12-year-old Harry to trail behind Princess Diana’s coffin.
In the upcoming documentary Diana, 7 Days, People reveals that many people were against William and Harry taking part in the funeral procession, including Princess Diana’s own brother. But their grandfather, Prince Philip, had other ideas for the boys.
“If I do it, will you?” he allegedly asked.
In a sit-down interview, William told the camera that it was one of the toughest decisions that he ever had to make. He went on to say that walking behind his mother’s casket was the hardest thing that he has ever done in his life. He explained that there was a balance between “family and duty” and it was decided that it had to be done.
He called his march a “long and lonely walk,” as he confessed that he used his bangs as a “safety blanket,” most likely to shield his eyes from the public. Later, the father of two said that he believes his mother would be proud that he and his brother walked alongside her as he confessed that he actually felt like she was with them in spirit the whole time.
On the other hand, Prince Harry sat down for an interview and reflected on the procession, saying that he’s glad that he was able to be a part of it. The redhead also told the camera that the decision was made as a group and he truly has no opinion as to whether it was right or wrong.
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Later, Prince William recalled how people were crying and showing a ton of emotion during his mother’s procession. And when that happened, he became very protective and didn’t understand why they were so upset because they didn’t even know Diana. However, today, William says he understands what his mother meant to so many people and how much she gave back to the world.
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The L.A. Times reports that both William and Harry praise their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, for helping protect them from the media following Diana’s untimely death. She immediately removed all newspapers from the house so they couldn’t read about what was going on.
Do you think that Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth went about the death of Princess Diana in the right away? Let us know your thoughts.
Diana, 7 Days airs on NBC on September 1.
[Featured Image by Adam Butler/AP Images]