Advertisement

In Brazil, Prince Harry gets emotional over Diana’s death

Prince Harry visits the Child in Risk Support Assn. on Wednesday in Diadema, Brazil.
Prince Harry visits the Child in Risk Support Assn. on Wednesday in Diadema, Brazil.
(Marcos Mendez / AFP / Getty Images)
Share

During a visit with young orphans in Brazil on Wednesday, Prince Harry shed a few tears while recalling his mother’s death.

The fourth in line to the British throne, who began his South American tour on Monday, happened upon a 41-year-old woman who had raised her granddaughters after their father went to jail and their mother was murdered, according to Us Weekly.

The girls’ experience reminded him of his mother Princess Diana’s death in a 1997 car crash when the prince was just 12 and his brother, Prince William, was 15.

Advertisement

“I was completely overwhelmed and shocked,” the 29-year-old royal told reporters after meeting the girls during his visit with ACER Brasil, a foundation that looks to help underprivileged kids and reunite them with family members.

“There are two little girls -- I’m quite emotional -- just looking at them. I wanted to talk about my own experiences, but there is no point because it is just so far removed.

“The bravery of them looking at me, smiling at me. ... I wanted to use my own experiences in a very small way, to try to give them a bit of understanding about the fact, [that I saw what they] are going through.”

The incident was a somber one during an otherwise cheerful trip to the South American country currently hosting the World Cup.

On Monday, the Royal Armed Forces captain visited a hospital that treats patients who have brain injuries and other neurological problems. The athletic royal, who will host the paralympic-style Invictus Games in the fall, watched patients play a game of wheelchair basketball.

On Monday night, he watched the Brazil-Cameroon World Cup game and reportedly cheered for the host country, the palace said.

Advertisement

His highness went head-to-head with judo star Luciano Correa on Tuesday as they duked it out on the basketball court in front of several schoolchildren. Later in the day, Harry watched England play Costa Rica in what was his home team’s final World Cup match.

Also on Wednesday, the prince planted a tree in a rain forest outside of Sao Paulo and played soccer with several kids at ACER in the town of Diadema.

Harry’s week-long tour will see him visiting Chile as well.

Wanna marry Harry? Follow me @NardineSaad.

Advertisement