King Charles Opens Up About ‘Difficultly of Coping With Grief’ in First Public Remarks Following Princess Diana’s Death

Just about everyone who was alive at the time remembers where they were when they heard the news that Princess Diana died. People around the world watched in sorrow as an entire nation mourned over the princess’s death. Not lost in that sadness was the horrible pain her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, felt losing their mother .

Someone people weren’t feeling too sorry for though was Diana’s ex-husband, then-Prince Charles. That’s because some were still angry at him for having a long affair with his mistress (formerly known as Camilla Parker Bowles) and divorcing the princess. But Charles was reportedly pretty “broken up” over Diana’s death, and in his first public comments after she died he spoke about “coping with grief.”

Where Charles was when he learned Princess Diana had died

Diana died on an operating table at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris following a car crash after leaving a hotel several hours earlier. At the time Charles was on holiday in Scotland with their sons at Balmoral Castle when he got the news.

Britain’s ambassador to France, Michael Jay, was awoken in the early morning hours on Aug. 31, 1997, and told about the crash. Jay immediately phoned Queen Elizabeth II’s private secretary at the time, Robin Janvrin, who informed the monarch of the accident.

Initial reports were that Diana was badly injured but the queen and Charles were eventually given the news that she did not make it. Charles reportedly “fell apart” and dreaded telling his children what happened to their mother. There was also some discussion about whether to wake William and Harry up at that moment and tell them or wait till the morning. Ultimately, Queen Elizabeth decided it was best to let them sleep and tell them when they woke up.

What Charles said about ‘grief’ in his first public remarks following Diana’s death

Nearly three weeks after Princess Diana died, Charles made an appearance at a Salvation Army center in Manchester, England on Sept. 19 and gave his first public comments about his ex-wife since her death.

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“The public response to Diana’s death has been equally quite remarkable and indeed in many ways overwhelming,” the Associated Press quoted him as saying. “And I think many of you will know from the experience of family loss in your own lives, it is inevitably very difficult to cope with grief at any time. But perhaps you might realize that it is even harder when the whole world is watching at the same time. But obviously, the public support and the warmth of that support has helped enormously.”

The royal continued: “I can’t tell you how enormously grateful and touched both of the boys and myself are. Also, I am unbelievably proud of William and Harry, they have been quite remarkable and I think they have handled an extraordinarily difficult time as I am sure all of you can imagine with quite enormous courage and the greatest possible dignity. They are coping extraordinarily well, but obviously, Diana’s loss and death has been an enormous loss as far as they are concerned, and they will always feel that loss.”

After his remarks, as he exited the building, Charles was greeted by many well-wishers who said they offered him messages of support and asked that he pass those on to his sons as well.