Prince Harry has revealed that he still regrets how he handled his final phone call with his mother, the late Princess Diana, nearly three decades after her tragic death.
The Duke of Sussex, 42, opened up about losing his mother when he was just 12 years old in the latest episode of GQ‘s interview series, One More Question, particularly his regret over rushing the call so he could get back to playing with his cousins. He also discussed how he continues to navigate grief, the questions he still asks his mother, and how his outlook has changed now that he is also a father. Keep reading to find out more…
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Prince Harry Opens Up About His Final Phone Call With Princess Diana
The Spare author recalled his final phone call with his late mother during his conversation with interviewer Zach Baron. It wasn't the first time he had spoken about the call, as he previously discussed it alongside his brother, Prince William, in the 2017 documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy.
Diana called her sons while they were staying at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, but the conversation was brief, as the young princes were eager to get back to playing with their cousins.
"If I'd known it was the last call with her, how different that conversation would've been," Harry said in the GQ interview. "And I'm the one that has to live with that. And the fact that as a 12-year-old kid, all I wanted to do was go off and run and play with my cousins."
The father of two went on to explain that the guilt weighed heavily on him for years, although becoming a parent himself has since helped him see the situation differently.
"But before I was a parent, that was a bit of guilt and stuff that just really stuck with me. It was heavy," he admitted, before adding: "And then yeah, when you become a parent, of course it changes things."
Prince Harry Says He Still Feels Connected To His Late Mother
Although he never got the chance to speak to his mother again, Harry revealed that he still asks her questions and sometimes feels as though he receives an answer. When asked what he thinks about when he remembers Diana, Prince Harry told Baron: "It's just a quick sort of like, 'Wow, miss you. Wonder what the world would be like if you were still here. Wonder what my family would be like if you were still here.'"
"Sometimes there's questions that I ask her, looking for some kind of response, and sometimes I do get a response," he said. "Maybe I've spent too much time in California, but having done the work that I've done, there is a connection still with my mom that I really do feel her energy at certain times and certain parts of my life."
Harry also spoke about his gratitude for therapy after spending approximately 20 years suppressing his feelings. He explained that sharing his experiences has helped others who have experienced loss, something he hopes to continue doing.
"I continually get told by everybody from 90-year-olds down to nine-year-olds that the sharing part of my experience, sharing part of my story, has helped them," Harry said. "And as long as that's the case, then I'm always going to try and make it easier for other people. It doesn't matter whether it's one or a million."
How Are Prince Harry And Prince William Honoring Their Mother 30 Years After Her Death?
Prince Harry is reportedly considering making a documentary about his late mother to mark the 30th anniversary of her death in August 2027. The project could be produced through Archewell Productions, the company he shares with his wife, Meghan Markle, with the pair allegedly "trying to gather content" while they are in the U.K.
Prince William, meanwhile, is reportedly considering a different way to honor their mother by posthumously restoring her HRH title, which she lost following her divorce from the then-Prince Charles in 1996. According to reports, William promised Diana when he was a child that he would one day restore it.
However, more recent reports claim that the Prince of Wales may wait until he becomes king to make the move, as the idea has reportedly angered his father. Sources have suggested that King Charles considers it an "incredibly sensitive subject" that could reopen painful memories of his marriage to Diana and their subsequent divorce.
