How Prince Harry and Prince William Really Felt About Walk Behind Mom Princess Diana’s Coffin

Crown returned to Netflix with the first episode of its sixth and final season on Thursday.

The new episodes focused largely on the tumultuous relationship between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed — as portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki and Khalid Abdalla — in the weeks leading up to their fatal car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, with the first episode ending with a recreation of the emotional funeral of the late king, which took place a few days later, on September 6.

The fourth episode — titled “Aftermath” — features Diana’s then-teenage sons Prince William and Prince Harry (played by Rufus Kampa and Fflyn Edwards) walking behind their mother’s coffin, with William at one point asking why everyone watching the procession was crying for someone they never knew.

The image of two young members of the royal family walking behind Princess Diana’s coffin became permanent for those who lived through it. For both Prince William and Prince Harry, it’s something they’ve been thinking about ever since.

Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Earl Spencer, Prince William and Prince Philip in 1997.

JEFF J MITCHELL/AFP/Getty

Aged just 15 and 12, Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind Princess Diana’s funeral alongside their grandfather Prince Philip, father King Charles and uncle Charles Spencer. They were all accompanied by a cortege of representatives of the many charities the Princess of Wales was involved in before her death.

Both brothers confirmed in a 2017 BBC documentary Diana, 7 days that it was a “group decision” to join, with Prince William saying: “It wasn’t an easy decision, it was a collective family decision.”

Spencer was against the idea, telling PEOPLE in 2017 The story of Diana that he didn’t believe that “little” Harry should have gone on a grueling journey. “I was so worried – what a trauma for a little guy to be walking behind his mum’s body,” said Charles, 9th Earl Spencer. “It’s just horrible. And, in fact, I tried to stop it from happening, to be honest.”

In his memoirs from 2023. Spare, the Duke of Sussex wrote more about the decision to walk that day, revealing that “several adults were appalled” and that “Mum’s brother, Uncle Charles, raised hell. ‘You can’t make these boys walk behind their mother’s coffin It’s barbaric .’ ”

Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Charles Spencer.

Getty Images

Prince William revealed who decided he and Harry would walk behind Diana’s coffin

Prince Harry then revealed that an “alternative plan” for Prince William to walk alone had been presented before the lockdown. “The answer came back. It must be both princes,” he wrote, adding that “I did not wish Willy to undergo such an ordeal without me. If the roles had been reversed, he would never have wanted me—indeed, allowed me—to go alone. ”

“But before I knew it, I was in a suit with a black tie and a white shirt, I think, and I was part of it,” Harry recalled in a 2017 documentary. wrong. I’m glad I was a part of it. Looking back on it now, I’m very glad I was a part of it.”

Describing the experience as a “long and lonely walk” in the same 2017 documentary, William added: “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But we were blown away by how many people came out, it was just amazing. There was balance between duty and family and that’s what we had to do.”

Prince William also described hiding behind his blonde bangs, calling them “my security blanket”.

Looking back Spareprince harry said he felt “stiff” during the walk but was drawing strength from his brother, who he kept an eye on despite looking at the ground.

“What I remember most is the sounds, the click of reins and the clatter of hooves of six sweaty brown horses, the screeching of the carriage wheels they were pulling,” he wrote. “I believe I will remember those few sounds for the rest of my life, because they were such a sharp contrast to the otherwise all-encompassing silence.”

Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997. STR/AFP via Getty

Prince Philip supported his grandchildren by allegedly telling them: “I’ll walk if you walk.”

Princess Anne also recalled the moment in an interview with ITV following Prince Philip’s death. “I seem to remember them saying that it was really a question of ‘If you’re going to do it, I’m going to do it,'” she said. “That was him as a grandfather… ‘If this is what you want to do and if you want me to be there, I’ll be there’.”

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Prince William and Prince Harry 2022 Justin Setterfield/Getty Prince William and Prince Harry in the Queen’s procession echoes the heartbreaking walk at Diana’s funeral

Twenty-five years later, on September 19, 2022, the brothers found themselves in a similar situation as they walked behind the coffin of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, who died on September 8 at the age of 96.

A few days later, the Prince of Wales and his wife Kate Middleton, the new Princess of Wales, connected with the crowd during a walk in Sandringham. There, William discovered that the late Queen’s ceremonial procession reminded him of the same ritual after his mother’s death.

A mourner in the crowd said Prince William was saying how “tough” it was. “He said how difficult it was yesterday and how it reminded him of his mum’s funeral,” grieving Jane Wells said. The Telegraph reported. “Catherine said this was such a difficult time for all of them, for the whole family.”

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Source: HIS Education