William’s lament I wish I had mother here for advice
In a frank interview, Prince William has spoken of his long, painful bereavement since the death of Diana
THE Duke of Cambridge has spoken of how he wishes he could ask his late mother for advice, disclosing his sadness that his own young family will never meet her.
The Duke, whose mother Diana, Princess of Wales, died 20 years ago this August, said he would have loved her to meet his wife, Catherine, and to have watched their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte grow up.
Saying he is now in a place where he can talk about her frankly, he said stability at home was “so important” to his family as he promised to bring his children up outside the palace walls, just as his mother tried to do with him.
The Duke admitted the bereavement had been “so raw”, particularly because he had to cope in the spotlight, that it has taken nearly 20 years for him to become comfortable speaking about it.
In an interview with GQ magazine, to publicise mental health charity Heads Together, he said of his life today: “I would like to have had her advice. I would love her to have met Catherine and to have seen the children grow up.
“It makes me sad that she won’t, that they will never know her.”
But, he added, the 20th anniversary of her death, which he and his brother Prince Harry will be commemorating this summer, sees him “in a better place about it than I have been for a long time, where I can talk about her more openly, talk about her more honestly, and I can remember her better, and publicly talk about her better.”
He said: “It has taken me almost 20 years to get to that stage. I still find it difficult now because at the time it was so raw.
“And also it is not like most people’s grief, because everyone else knows about it, everyone knows the story, everyone knows her.
“It is a different situation for most people who lose someone they love, it can be hidden away or they can choose if they want to share their story.” The interview was conducted by Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor who has made his own video for Heads Together discussing his depression.
The Duke was photographed at home by Norman Jean Roy, along with the Duchess and their two children. “I could not do my job without the stability of the family,” the Duke said.
“Stability at home is so important to me. I want to bring up my children in a happy, stable, secure world and that is so important to both of us as parents. “I want George to grow up in a real, living environment, I don’t want him growing up behind palace walls, he has to be out there.
“The media make it harder, but I will fight for them to have a normal life.”
Of the purpose of the Heads Together Campaign, he said it was intended to “smash the taboo” of speaking about mental illness and eradicate any shame about seeking help.
“I’ve been really shocked how many people live in fear and in silence because of their mental illness,” he said. “I just don’t understand it. I know I come across as quite reserved and shy, I don’t always have my emotions brewing, but behind closed doors I think about the issues, I get very passionate about things.
“I rely on people around me for opinions, and I am a great believer in communication on these issues.
“I cannot understand how families, even behind closed doors, still find it so hard to talk about it.
“I am shocked we are so worried about saying anything about the true feelings we have.
“Because mental illness is inside our heads, invisible, it means others tread so carefully, and people don’t know what to say, whereas if you have a broken leg in plaster, everyone knows what to say.”
The full interview appears in the July issue of British GQ , on sale from tomorrow, and available to download from today.
‘It has taken me almost 20 years to get to this stage. I still find it difficult, because at the time it was so raw’