On the first day of his royal tour of Africa, Prince Harry has given a powerful and touching speech about his own experiences of loss and grief.
The Prince, who arrived in the African country of Lesotho yesterday to commence his tour, spoke to the staff, press and children gathered at the opening about how the loss of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, inspired him start the charity.
“Although our situations couldn’t have been more different, I felt an overwhelming connection to many of the children I met,” Prince Harry said.
“They were far younger than me, and of course, their situation was a great deal more challenging than my own. Nonetheless, we shared a similar feeling of loss, having a loved one – in my case a parent – snatched away so suddenly.”
“I, like them, knew there would always be a gaping hole that could never be filled,” said Prince Harry of his mother’s dead in 1997.
The Prince went on to reveal that it was this loss that lead him to set up the charity Sentebale with Lesotho’s prince, Prince Seeiso, who had also lost his mother.
The name of the charity means ‘forget me not’ in Sesotho, the language of Lesotho, and was founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in memory of their mothers, Diana, who died in 1997, and Queen ‘Mamohato Bereng Seeiso, who died in 2003).
Prince Harry attended the opening of the centre, which will serve as a care centre for children living with HIV/AIDS. Harry named one of the halls in memory of his mother.
Harry opened the centre with an emotional speech about the loss of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who founded the Sentebale charity together, were both present for the opening.
Both Harry and Seeiso were gifted ceremonial blankets stitched with images of hearts and animals.
Harry was reunited with a boy he met almost 10 years ago, Mutsu.
Mutsu and Harry have stayed in contact over the years, becoming close friends.
Mutsu frequently writes Harry letters.
Harry takes a photo of a boy at the centre.
Prince Harry played with the children at the centre.
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