Prince Harry has opened up about how he, Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, honour Princess Diana on her birthday and the anniversary of her passing away. The Duke of Sussex revealed a meaningful family tradition that keeps his mother’s memory alive for his household.According to reports by People, Prince Harry attended Scotty’s Summer Festival at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire on Saturday, July 11, marking his final public outing amid his current trip to the United Kingdom. During a Q&A session with approximately 200 children and their family members at the charity event, a teenager named Sebastian asked if the Duke does anything special to commemorate the anniversary of his mother’s passing away on August 31 or her birthday on July 1.“Yes, we do lemon drizzle cake,” Harry told the 16-year-old, whose father served in the military and passed away in June 2010.
Prince Harry explains the importance of traditions
Prince Harry emphasised the significance of maintaining family traditions as a way to honour loved ones. “I think traditions are really, really important, especially when they’re sweet,” he explained to the teenager, highlighting how the simple act of baking together serves as a meaningful way to remember his mother.
Speaking at Scotty’s Summer Festival, Prince Harry shared that family traditions, including baking together, help keep Princess Diana’s memory alive for the next generation.Image credit (Instagram)
The Duke of Sussex is the Global Ambassador for a British charity that supports bereaved military children and other young individuals. The cause holds particular significance for Harry, a former captain in the military, whose mother passed away when he was 12 years old at the age of 36 following injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
Prince Harry’s broader reflections on grief
Prince Harry has spoken openly throughout the years about dealing with grief following his mother’s passing. During a workplace mental health summit at a Melbourne venue in April, when Harry served as a keynote speaker, he discussed the complexities of experiencing loss at a young age.“In my experience, loss is disorienting at any age,” he said. “Grief does not disappear because we ignore it. Experiencing that as a kid while in a goldfish bowl under constant surveillance, yes, that will have its challenges. And without purpose, it can break you,” he continued, reflecting on the unique difficulties of mourning publicly.
The Duke of Sussex said meaningful traditions with Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have become an important way to honour Princess Diana while teaching their children about her legacy.Image credit (Instagram)
Harry described the emotional toll that such losses can have on an individual over time. “There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed. Times when I’ve felt lost, betrayed or completely powerless. Times when the pressure — externally and internally — felt constant. And times when, despite everything going on, I still had to show up pretending everything was okay, so as not to let anyone down,” he explained.The Duke acknowledged that processing such significant loss required developing coping mechanisms over time. “For many years I was numb to it, and perhaps that was easier then, but I also didn’t yet have the tools to deal with it,” he stated, describing how his understanding of grief has evolved through his adult years.
Royal family reunion at Highgrove
Prince Harry, Meghan, 44, Archie and Lilibet had a landmark reunion with the King and the Queen this week, marking the first time the Duchess of Sussex and the children have seen the royal couple in person in four years. The King, 77, and the Queen, 78, hosted the Sussex family at a private country home in Gloucestershire on the afternoon of July 10.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet reunited with King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a private family gathering at Highgrove, marking the children’s first in-person meeting with the royal couple in four years.Image credit (Instagram)
No photographs or further details were released from what was considered a private family meeting, respecting the intimate nature of the occasion.
Changes to the family’s UK visit plans
Harry and Meghan had initially planned to visit the United Kingdom together as a family this week but changed their arrangements following an extraordinary back-and-forth with the palace regarding security arrangements. Prince Harry ultimately continued with the planned itinerary alone, while reports suggest the family may visit the late Princess’s childhood home, where she is buried.
