Prince William and Prince Harry paid tribute to their adored mother Princess Diana before the 20th anniversary of her death. The brothers were joined by William’s wife, Kate Middleton, for the solemn visit to the Kensington Palace memorial garden, which took place on Wednesday, August 30, Hello reports.
The royal three visited the Sunken Garden, which was converted to a special White Garden this year in honor to the late Princess of Wales. The White Garden, which opened in April, will continue throughout September, with white roses, lilies, cosmos and gladioli.
They met the gardener Sean Harkin, who designed the exhibit, and Graham Dillamore, who worked with Diana over 30 years ago. Representatives from few of the charities the late Princess supported in the last days of her life – Great Ormond Street Hospital, the National Aids Trust, The Leprosy Mission, Royal Marsden Hospital, English National Ballet and Centrepoint — were also present to discuss the influence of Diana’s work with her sons and daughter-in-law.
William, Harry and Kate also met with the founders, former and current patients of the Osteopathic Center for Children. Princess Diana was due to meet with them in early September of 1997, to help launch their Sweet Pea Appeal. Sadly, she was tragically killed in a Paris car accident on August 31.
The royal brothers also made a visit to speak with well-wishers and to look at the flowers, photos and cards left as a tribute to their mother at the gates of Kensington Palace, where Princess Diana lived from 1981 until her death.
“The Duke and Prince Harry are grateful for the many flowers, letters, and messages they have received about their mother,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. “They wanted to say thank you to those who made the journey to Kensington Palace.”
In BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days, William and Harry opened up about their mother’s tragic death and how they’re still trying to fill the gaps that she left.
“All I want to do is try and fill the holes that my mother has left, and that’s what it’s about for us is trying to make a difference and in making a difference making her proud,” Harry said. “She was the Princess of Wales and she stood for so many things, but deep down inside for us she was a mother. And we will miss our mother and I wonder every single day what it would be like having her around.”
Prince William explained how both of his parents brought him and Harry up to understand that “there is this element of duty and responsibility that you have to do things you don’t want to do.”
“When it becomes that personal, walking behind your mother’s funeral cortege, it goes to another level of duty,” William added. “But I just kept thinking about what she would want and that she’d be proud of Harry and I. And effectively, she was there with us. It felt like she was walking alongside us to get us through it.”
The Duke and Prince Harry are grateful for the many flowers, letters and messages they have received about their Mother. pic.twitter.com/pOAtvsOE4q
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 30, 2017
