Prince William was only 15 years old when he lost his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.
And it is this tragic, life-changing moment that the father-of-two called upon when consoling a young girl mourning the loss of her father.
At the Child Bereavement UK’s first-anniversary get-together this week – a charity that is one of the Duke of Cambridge’s key causes – Prince William, along with Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, comforted grieving young children and their families.
This charity also happens to have been founded by one of Princess Diana’s dear friends, Julia Samuel, who is also one of Prince George’s godparents.
During his time at the event, Prince William, 35, opened up to nine-year-old Aoife, whose father had died of pancreatic cancer six years ago.
He said to Aoife, “Do you know what happened to me? You know I lost my mummy when I was very young too”.
“I was [15] and my brother was 12. So we lost our mummy when we were young as well.”
“Do you speak about your daddy? It’s very important to talk about it, very, very important.”
As reported by PEOPLE, the Prince’s kindness and empathy did not go unnoticed, with Aoife finding comfort in the fact that she was able to resonate with someone who had also lost a parent.
“It was really nice that he talked to me,” she said. “It was like there are other people who know what it is like to lose someone.”
Mrs Samuel is clearly proud of Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s charitable efforts, noting that it’s “touching” to see when people realise just how “normal” this young pair of royals are.
“You can see the terror in peoples’ eyes as they walk in, she begins, “and you can see that fall away within a few minutes as people realise they are normal.”
“That is always kind of touching to see.”
Mrs Samuel also acknowledges the effort Prince William goes into raising awareness for this charity, stating that, in a very bittersweet way, he really is the perfect man for the job.
“Bereavement – and particularly child death, which is so unbearable to think about – is something William is shining a light. He is helping us raise awareness in a way that no one else can do,’ she said.
“That’s because people can see how authentic, and heartfelt, he is and he’s experienced it. People can pick up authenticity within seconds.”
If you, or someone you know, is grieving and would like to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, visit Griefline’s website or call 1300 845 745.
