Prince William and Harry reveal their regrets over final call to Diana
Prince William and Harry have opened up about their regrets about the last conversation they had with their mother, Princess Diana, in a new documentary marking 20 years since her death.
On the night of August 30, 1997, a then-15-year-old Prince William and 12-year-old Prince Harry received a call from their mother. However, the two boys were with their cousins in Balmoral and rush their brief phone call with her before rushing off to play.
A few hours later Princess Diana died in a Parish car crash.
Now, with the 20th anniversary of her death drawing close, the brothers have spoken about the anguish and guilt they still feel over the brevity of that phone call.
Princess Diana with Prince William while she was pregnant with Prince Harry. Image credit: Kensington Palace
In a new documentary called Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, due to air on Seven’s Sunday Night next week, Prince William said it’s a moment that’s still troubles him.
"Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know, 'See you later'... If I'd known now obviously what was going to happen I wouldn't have been so blasé about it and everything else," Prince William said.
"But that phone call sticks in my mind, quite heavily."
Harry, 32, says the last chat was something he will regret for the rest of his life.
"It was her speaking from Paris. I can’t really necessarily remember what I said, but all I do remember is probably regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was,” he said.
“Looking back on it now it’s incredibly hard. I’ll have to sort of deal with that for the rest of my life. Not knowing that was the last time I was going to speak to my mum, how differently that conversation would have panned out if I’d had even the slightest inkling her life was going to be taken that night.”
The newly released photograph shows Princess Diana with Prince Harry. Image credit: Kensington Palace
Prince Harry said the documentary was the first time he and his brother had spoken publicly about Princess Diana as a mother.
"Arguably, probably, [it was] a little bit too raw up until this point," he said. "It's still raw."
A few excerpts of the ITV documentary – which will air in Britain this week – and new family photographs were released on Sunday.
The oryal family have released several photos from Princess Diana's personal photo album. Image credit: Kensington Palace
The two princes have only recently opened up about the impact of their mother’s death.
Earlier this year, Prince Harry spoke about the emotional trauma he experienced after the death of his mother and the agony of being forced to walk behind her coffin at the funeral.
The Duke of Cambridge also revealed this year it took him 20 years to speak openly about Diana’s death.
Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy will air on Seven’s Sunday Night on July 30 at 7pm.