Prince William's heartbreaking confession after walking behind Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II's coffins
William was just 15 when his mother died...Prince William made an emotional confession after walking behind his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II‘s, coffin during her funeral procession.
The Prince of Wales joined other senior members of the royal family in the funeral procession, which was watched by millions.
The late queen passed away on September 8, 2022, from ‘old age’, after becoming the longest-serving monarch in British history. After seven decades on the throne, her son, King Charles, ascended to the throne.
The nation, as well as the globe, mourned her passing.
During a visit to Sandringham following Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on September 14, Prince William made a heartbreaking admission about walking behind her coffin, seeming to refer to his mother’s Princess Diana’s funeral.
Prince William admitted walking behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was ‘challenging’
A week after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Prince William told a member of the public that walking behind the monarch’s coffin was tough.
The Prince of Wales and wife Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, meet well-wishers outside Sandringham on September 15, a few days later. They also took a look at the floral tributes left by well-wishers.
During chats with those who gathered, Prince William reportedly made an emotional confession about Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession, where he walked behind her coffin. William, along with other senior royals, walked in the procession as it was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.
Speaking to one member of the public, the royal reportedly admitted that the walk was “challenging”.
He told some people in the crowd: “It brought back a few memories. It’s one of these moments where you kind of think to yourself, ‘I’ve prepared myself for this’ but I’m not that prepared.
“It’s this weird kind of thing… because we knew she was 96.”
Read more: The Queen’s heartbreaking last words to Prince Philip inside handwritten note at his funeral
Prince William walked behind Princess Diana’s coffin at her funeral
Another well-wisher revealed the future king said that walking behind the Queen’s coffin yesterday reminded him of Diana‘s funeral.
Prince William – then aged just 15 – walked behind Princess Diana’s coffin on the day of her funeral back in 1997.
Speaking to the Mirror, a well-wisher said: “[Prince William] told us yesterday had been particularly difficult and following the coffin had reminded him of his mother’s funeral, of [Princess] Diana.”
“He said it had been very difficult,” they continued.
“I said your mother would be so proud of you and thank you for sharing your grief with us and he said, ‘I’m learning that she was everyone’s grandmother – the way people have reacted,'” they added.
Another well-wisher revealed that when someone in the crowd started tearing up, William reportedly said: “Don’t cry now – you’ll start me.”
Why William and Harry walked behind their mother’s coffin
The decision for Prince William and Prince Harry to walk behind their mother’s coffin during Princess Diana’s funeral was made by the royal family.
Their grandfather, Prince Philip, reportedly told his grandsons: “If I do it, will you?”
Princess Anne, King Charles’ sister and the brothers’ aunt, told ITV News after his death: “”I seem to remember him saying that in fact, it was a question of, ‘If you’ll do it, I’ll do it’.
“And that was him as a grandfather saying to them, ‘If you want me to be there, if that’s what you want to do and if you want me to be there, I will be there.'”
William himself told the BBC in Diana: 7 Days: “It wasn’t an easy decision, and it was a collective family decision to do that.
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“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But we were overwhelmed by how many people turned out, it was just incredible. There was that balance between duty and family, and that’s what we had to do.”
However, Harry felt differently, admitting years later he wished he didn’t do it.
He told Newsweek in 2017: “My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television.
“I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”
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