Princess Diana’s words to her eldest son, Prince William, left a lasting impression on the young royal.
In November 1995, less than two years before her tragic death, the Princess of Wales sat down with BBC1 Panorama to share her side of the story about divorcing Prince Charles following his affair with now-wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
During the interview, host Martin Bashir asked the princess how she explained the separation to her sons William and younger brother Prince Harry.
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Princess Diana with her son Prince William. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“I went to the school and put it to William, particularly, that if you find someone you love in life you must hang onto it and look after it,” said Diana, as quoted by People magazine on Friday.
“And if you were lucky enough to find someone who loved you, then you must protect it,” she shared.
According to the outlet, William was 10 years old when his parents separated. Diana and Charles finalized their divorce four years later.
“William asked me what had been going on, and could I answer his questions, which I did,” Diana explained. “He said, ‘Was that the reason why our marriage had broken up?’ And I said, ‘Well, there were three of us in this marriage, and the pressures of the media was another factor, so the two together were very difficult. But although I still loved Papa, I couldn’t live under the same roof as him, and likewise with him.’”
When asked how William took the answer, Diana responded, “He’s a child that’s a deep thinker, and we don’t know for a few years how it’s gone. But I put it gently, without resentment or anger.”
Bashir then asked Diana whether William, who is second in line to the British throne, should succeed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, as monarch.
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Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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“Do you think it would make more sense in the light of the marital difficulties that you and the Prince of Wales have had if the position of monarch passed directly to your son Prince William?” he questioned.
“Well, then you have to see that William’s very young age at the moment, so do you want a burden like that to be put on his shoulders at such an age?” Diana replied. “So I can’t answer that question.”
“Would it be your wish that when Prince William comes of age that he was to succeed the queen rather than the current Prince of Wales,” Bashir rephrased his question.
“My wish is that my husband finds peace of mind, and from that follows other things, yes,” said Diana.
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In this April 29, 2011, file photo, Britain's Prince William and his bride Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, leave Westminster Abbey, London, following their wedding. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
Diana passed away in 1997 at age 36 from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash.
William, now 38, went on to marry college sweetheart Kate Middleton in 2011. He proposed with a sapphire and diamond engagement ring that once belonged to his mother. The couple share three children: Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2.
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