Prince Harry has admitted he "buried" his emotions after the shock death of his mother, Princess Diana. The royal was just 12, and his brother Prince William was 15, when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.
In an ITV documentary, which focuses on his charity work in Lesotho, Africa, the 32-year-old royal revealed he never really dealt with his mother's death. "I never really dealt with what had happened," he explained. "It was a lot of buried emotion. For a huge part of my life I didn’t really want to think about it."
He added: "I now view life very differently from what it used to be. I used to bury my head in the sand, and let everything around you tear you to pieces. I was fighting the system, going: 'I don't want to be this person.' My mother died when I was very, very young and I don't want to be in this position. Now I’m so energized, fired up, to be lucky enough to be in a position to make a difference."
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Harry has admitted he "buried" his emotions after the loss of his late mother, Princess Diana
Prince Harry is hoping to carry on with his mother's humanitarian legacy with his charity work, including Sentebale, the charity which was founded in 2006 to provide care, support and education to youth affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.
Earlier this year, the fifth-in-line revealed how his Colour Sergeant at Sandhurst helped him build his confidence after losing his mother at a young age. Speaking at a youth mentor training event at Mackie Academy in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, he explained: "I was at a stage in my life when I was probably lacking a bit in guidance.
© Photo: ITV"I never really dealt with what had happened," he explained
"I lost my mum when I was very young and suddenly I was surrounded by a huge number of men in the army. He was someone who teased me at the right moments and gave me the confidence to look forward, to actually have that confidence in yourself to know who you are and to push forward and try to help others."
Prince Harry In Africa airs on Monday at 9pm, on ITV1
