The Duke of Sussex has opened up about how the constant presence of the media in his life, is a continuous reminder of one of the hardest times of his life – the death of his beloved mother Princess Diana.
In a newly released, first-look at ITV‘s upcoming documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, set to take us behind-the-scenes of the couple’s recent official tour of southern Africa, Harry speaks of the pressure he feels as a member of the royal family and that although everything he does, in his life and work, reminds him of his mother, it’s the media’s presence that reminds him of “the bad stuff”.
ITV have released a first-look at their upcoming documentary behind-the-scenes of the Sussexes’ recent tour of southern Africa, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. (Image: Getty)
When ITV‘s Tom Bradby asks Harry if he feels at peace with the death of his mother, Harry replies, that it’s “still a wound that festers.”
“I think being part of this family, in this role and this job – every time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash – it takes me straight back,” Harry tells him.
“So in that respect, it’s the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best.
“Being here now, 22 years later, trying to finish what she started, will be incredibly emotional, but everything I do remind me of her.
“But as I said, with the role, with the job and the sort of the pressures that come with that, I get reminded of the bad stuff, unfortunately,” he says.
Prince Harry says while everything he does remind him of his mother, it’s the press the reminds him of the “bad stuff, unfortunately”. (Image: Getty)
Harry and Meghan’s 10-day visit to southern Africa saw Prince Harry re-trace the footsteps of his mother, who in 1997 famously visited an active landmine field in Angola, just months before her tragic death caused by a car crash in Paris.
During his visit this year, Prince Harry visited the same site his mother had visited 22 years ago – now a vibrant and thriving street which includes shops and schools.
A tree, named the Diana Tree, marks the spot where she was famously photographed – Harry spent a quiet moment alone under the tree during his visit – and spoke of the significance of his late mother’s work and the importance of de-mining efforts.
“It has been emotional retracing my mother’s steps along this street 22 years on, and to see the transformation that has taken place, from an unsafe and desolate place into a vibrant community of local businesses and colleges,” Harry told the crowd during his visit.
He added, “I’m incredibly proud as I know my mother would’ve been, of the role that the United Kingdom has played in this transformation through funding and expertise brought by UK specialist organisation such as the HALO Trust and Mines Advisory Group.”
Like mother, like son, Prince Harry is continuing the work of his late mother Princess Diana. (Images: Getty)
While largely a successful tour, an unprecedented statement by Harry, released just days before the tour ended shocked the press and public alike, with Harry calling out the British tabloid press for their “ruthless” and “relentless” treatment of his wife Meghan.
Earlier this week ITV released a trailer for the upcoming documentary, which is set to air in the UK this weekend.
WATCH: See behind-the-scenes of the Sussexes’ Africa tour with Archie in this new doco trailer. Story continues below…
The video included an adorable, private moment shared between Harry, Meghan and Archie, with Tom narrating, saying, “The story of their time in Africa was of passion for their work, private happiness, but also a world of pressure and behind the brave faces.”
Following the tour Tom teased the fact he had been working on the documentary, tweeting he thinks “it will explain a lot when it airs,” and if the trailer and the newly released first-look are anything to go by, it looks like we’re set to get insight into the life of the Sussexes like we’ve never seen before.
