From the start, Diana wanted to mother her boys her way, and not simply conform to the age-old mould of Royal parenthood.
Reportedly, when Prince Charles suggested the names Arthur and Albert for their sons, she replied: “No, too old, no thank you.” Charles’ picks were incorporated as middle names. Undoubtedly, the eyes of the whole world – as well as those of the courtiers and her new family – were watching her every move. There was protocol, tradition at play.
Even when she gave birth to her first child, William, on June 21, 1982 – Harry would arrive two years later – she later commented that she “felt the whole country was in labour with me”.
Yet whatever other struggles she was facing in her marriage to Charles, Diana appears to have found the strength to be the mother she wanted to be, and not simply prepare her sons to be princes and heirs.
First there was the fun factor; the boys have spoken of trips to McDonald’s and Alton Towers.
Then there were the life lessons as they accompanied her to homeless shelters, for example. She was determined they would not be closeted away and would understand the real world.
And most of all, they speak of unbridled affection, an affection their father never experienced in the same way as a boy from his mother, the Queen, due to protocol.
In 2017, Prince Harry recalled: “She smothered us with love, that’s for sure.
“She would just engulf you and squeeze you as tight as possible and being as short as I was then, there was no escape, you were there for as long as she wanted to hold you. Even talking about it now, I can feel the hugs that she used to give us.”
And, best of all, the boys remember, she was naughty.
And told them they could be, too – as long as they didn’t get caught.
