How Prince William keeps Princess Diana's memory alive for his children
Prince William revealed that he regularly speaks to his children about Diana
Prince William is making sure Princess Diana’s legacy lives on by actively sharing her story and values with his children.
Princess Diana tragically died in August 1997, long before her grandchildren were born. Today (July 1) would have been her 64th birthday.
Despite not getting to meet her grandchildren, Diana’s memory continues to live on through Prince William‘s efforts.
Speaking in the 2017 ITV documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, Prince William opened up about how he speaks to his children about his mother, whom they affectionately refer to as “Granny Diana”.
At the time, William was dad to son Prince George, now 11, and daughter Princess Charlotte, 10. Since the documentary, William and wife Kate have welcomed Prince Louis, seven.
Prince William teaches children about Diana
“We’ve got more photos up around the house now of her,” William said at the time. “And we talk about her a bit and stuff.”
The interview took place before the birth of his youngest child, Louis, in April 2018.
However, William shared how he made a point to regularly bring up his late mother during bedtime with his older children.
We’ve got more photos up around the house now of her.
“Putting George or Charlotte to bed, [I] talk about her and just try and remind them that there are two grandmothers in their lives,” he explained. “It’s important that they know who she was and that she existed.”
Although Kate never had the chance to meet Diana, William said that he felt a responsibility to ensure his children grow up with a strong sense of connection to their grandmother.
“It’s hard because obviously, Catherine didn’t know her, so she can’t really provide that level of detail,” he added.
George, Charlotte, and Louis honour late grandmother Diana
Even though George, Charlotte, and Louis never met Diana, they’ve developed a bond with her through William’s stories and family traditions.
In 2021, Kensington Palace revealed that the children make homemade cards for Diana every year on Mother’s Day.
But for William, keeping Diana’s spirit alive isn’t just about photos and bedtime stories, it’s also about passing on her values.
One area where Diana’s influence is especially clear is in William’s parenting around social awareness.
In last year’s BBC documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, the future king reflected on how his mother used to educate him and his brother, Prince Harry, about the real world beyond palace walls.
“When I was very small, my mother started talking about homelessness. Much like I do now with my children on the school run,” William said. “She made sure when we grew up that the life outside the palace walls was real.”
It is believed William plans to follow his mother’s example and take his children to homeless shelters when they are older, just as Diana did with him.
By weaving Diana’s memory into their daily lives, both through storytelling and his own actions, Prince William ensures his mother’s compassion, warmth, and legacy are never forgotten.
As Diana would have celebrated her 64th birthday today, it’s clear that she remains an ever-present figure in the hearts of her family.
Read more: King Charles gives Prince William and Kate Middleton new titles as grantees of Royal Warrants
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