Prince Harry says memories of mother's death are 'wound that festers' in new documentary
17 October 2019, 20:39
Prince Harry said the grief of the memories surrounding his mother's death is "a wound that festers" after his “emotional” royal tour of southern Africa.
The Duke of Sussex spoke out in a new documentary chronicling last month’s ten-day tour, which he undertook with wife Meghan and son Archie.
During the trip, the Prince made a solo visit to Malawi, Botswana and Angola, where he highlighted his mother's anti-landmine work.
In the documentary, Harry said that he felt significant pressure being a member of the royal family in the spotlight, and was particularly stressed by the memories of his mother's relationship with the press.
Harry said: "I think probably a wound that festers.
"I think being part of this family, in this role, in this job, every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back, so in that respect it's the worst reminder of her life, as opposed to the best.
"Being here now, 22 years later, trying to finish what she started, will be incredibly emotional, but everything that I do reminds me of her.
"But as I said, with the role, with the job, and the sort of pressures that come with that, I get reminded of the bad stuff, unfortunately."
During the tour, Harry visited Huambo, Angola, where Diana famously walked through a cleared path in a minefield in 1997.
The images of her in body armour and a mask gave the anti-landmine campaign global recognition.
Harry visited the town to see the transformation of the area, which is now a residential street, and visited ongoing mine clearance work.
"It's been quite emotional retracing my mother's steps, 22 years on. Let's finish what was started," Harry said.
As the tour ended, the couple both brought separate legal actions against parts of the press, with Meghan suing the Mail on Sunday over a breach of privacy when it published a private letter between her and her estranged father.
Harry later filed his own proceedings at the High Court in relation to the alleged illegal interception of voicemail messages by Sun, News of the World and Daily Mirror journalists.
The documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, will air on ITV on Sunday at 9pm.
