The Heartbreaking words Prince William said to Diana After She Lost Her Title in the Divorce

When Prince Charles and Princess Diana ended their marriage in 1996, their oldest son, Prince William, was just 14 years old. At the time, he was a student at Eton College studying biology, art history, and geography and playing soccer and water polo. He hadn't yet begun his official royal duties or military career. For all intents and purposes, he was a normal teenager — besides, you know, the whole being king one day thing — and most normal teenagers are pretty bummed about their parents splitting up. But as second in line to the British throne, William recognized his (future) power and made a promise to his mother that is both incredibly adorable and incredibly heartbreaking.

Charles and Diana's divorce was finalized in August 1996, but some drama surrounding her royal title ensued. Queen Elizabeth II reportedly wanted to let Diana keep the style of her royal highness, but Charles was "adamant" that she give it up — instead, she was given the title Diana, Princess of Wales. The loss of the honorific separated Diana from the rest of the family in such a way that she had to curtsy to those who had it, including her own children. William is said to have comforted his mother after the loss of her title by saying, "Don't worry, Mummy, I will give it back to you one day when I am king."

Tragically, Diana was killed in a car crash just a little over a year after William made his touching vow to her. In the decades after her death, both he and his brother, Harry, have opened up about their mother, sharing stories about their time with her as well as honoring her impact, both with the charities they support and the traditions she's passed on to them.

Princess Diana's Last Words Have Been Revealed 20 Years After Her Death

Thursday, August 31, marks the twentieth anniversary of Princess Diana's tragic death, but details about that day are still coming to light.
At 36-years-old, the princess was involved in a fatal car crash in Paris after being pursued by paparazzi, and French firefighter Xavier Gourmelon is now speaking out about the night she passed away. In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Gourmelon, who was the last person to see her alive, reveals the heartbreaking last words Princess Diana spoke. 

He said, "Nobody knew it was her; no one had recognized her. As I approached, there was a blonde person sitting on the floor, she regained consciousness and looked at me and said, ‘Oh, my God, what’s happened?’" He continued, "[She was] a bit agitated, I tried to calm her down and tell her we'd look after her, and she fell into a coma again."
Gourmelon goes on to say that he was completely surprised that Diana passed away, as he expected her to recover. She died at 4 a.m. on Sunday, August 31, 1997.


In the days leading up to the 20th anniversary of their mother's death, Prince William and Prince Harry have paid tribute to her by touring the newly named White Garden at Kensington Palace, which was replanted in honor of the late princess. Recently, the brothers have also opened up about their relationship with Diana, even recalling the last time they spoke with her in the HBO documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy.


And in a promo for the the new documentary Diana, 7 Days, Prince Harry opened about the details of his mother's car accident,
condemning the paparazzi who caused the crash for photographing Princess Diana in the car as she lay dying.
"I think one of the hardest things to come to terms with is the fact that the people that chased her into the tunnel were the same people that were taking photographs of her while she was still dying on the back seat of the car," he says in the documentary. 

"William and I know that. We’ve been told that numerous times by people that know that was the case," Harry continued. "She’d had quite a severe head injury, but she was very much still alive on the back seat. Those people that caused the accident, instead of helping, were taking photos of her dying on the back seat. And then those photographs made their way to news desks in this country."

Princess Dana Fashion Exhibition To Be Launched Early Next Year 2017 -- KENSINGTON PALACE

Kensington Palace has released details of an upcoming exhibition that will focus on the style of Princess Diana. Diana: My Fashion Story will open in February, marking 20 years since the princess' tragic death.

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"The exhibition will bring together an extraordinary collection of garments, ranging from the glamorous evening gowns worn on engagements in the Eighties, to the chic Catherine Walker suits that made up Diana's working wardrobe in the Nineties," the palace said.

Wearing Catharine Walker in 1989.
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"The princess' relationship with her favorite designers will also be explored through a display of some of their original fashion sketches, created for her during the design process," the palace added.

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The exhibition is being held both inside and in the gardens of Kensington Palace, where Diana lived for 15 years. We are expected to see some of the most famous garments worn by the princess, including the velvet Victor Edelstein gown she wore to dance with John Travolta at the White House (above) and the pink Emanuel blouse she wore for her engagement portrait.

Diana: My Fashion Story opens February 24, 2017.

Princess Diana's pink engagement blouse (center) on display.
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