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Now that King Charles III is on the throne, he’s had time to reflect on his life as a prince and some of the choices that he’s made. There’s one particular moment in his sons’ lives that is likely to be revisited once Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, is released in January 2023: Princess Diana’s funeral.
Christopher Andersen, author of The King: The Life of Charles III told Us Weekly that he believes Charles’s decision to have Harry and Prince William join the Diana funeral procession and follow her casket through the streets of London “haunts him because it haunts them.” The royal expert thinks “it’s a form of PTSD” that Harry and William have experienced.
William was 15 and Harry was 12 when they lost their beloved mother in August 1997 and Andersen noted that the boys “were more or less bullied into doing it [walking behind the casket] by the palace.” He added, “Diana’s brother … has also said that he felt that he was tricked into doing it and regrets it. He said it was like walking through a tunnel of grief.” William and Harry were both “angry” about the situation and now, according to Andersen, “Charles understands that to some extent he was responsible for them having to suffer through [that].”
Charles won’t be able to escape the heat that is likely going to come his way for the decisions he made for his young sons in a time of tragic grief. Harry will be giving his side of the story soon, but he’s already said the moment shaped his entire perspective of his royal and personal life. It was a huge motivating factor for his move with Meghan Markle to the US — he wanted a different life for his kids.
Before you go, click here to see all of our favorite photos of Princess Diana.
