An emotional Prince Harry was almost in tears as he listened to horrific accounts of Brazilian children who lost their parents to drugs and violence.
An emotional Prince Harry was almost in tears as he listened to horrific accounts of Brazilian children who lost their parents to drugs and violence.
Hearing the harrowing tales visibly moved the young royal as he spent time visiting ACER, a project that offers underprivileged children an alternative way of life, in the town of Diadema outside of Sao Paulo.
As part of his week-long tour of South America, the humble Prince met with one woman who is bringing up her two granddaughters because their drug-dealer father is in jail and their mother was murdered.
And with tears welling up in his eyes, the 29-year-old became choked up when admitting that their heartbreaking stories made him remember his own mother’s death 17 years ago.
Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997 when Prince Harry was just 12.
“I was completely overwhelmed and shocked,” Harry told reporters.
“I’ve never blubbed in public as far as I can remember but I was pretty damn close. It was amazing to hear those stories.”
At one point, His Royal Highness struggled to contain his emotions.
“There are two little girls – I’m quite emotional – just looking at them I wanted to talk about my own experiences. But there’s no point because it’s just so far removed,” he said.
“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 see what they’re going through.
“But you hear the stories and think that’s nothing to what they’ve been through.”
Earlier this week, Prince Harry enjoyed a canoeing trip on Brasilia’s Paranoa Lake and spent time playing with children at Minas tennis club.
He also toured a local hospital that treats people with brain injuries.
Prince Harry choked up when speaking of his mother’s death.
Prince Harry meets with local children from a village during a trip to the Atlantic Rainforest near Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Prince Harry tours a village during his week-long trip of South America.
A young Prince William and Prince Harry attend their mother’s funeral.
Tributes pour in for Princess Diana after she was killed in a car crash.
Prince Harry has admitted being ‘shocked’ when he heard of his mother’s death.
Prince Harry as a toddler being held by his mother, the late Princess Diana.
Prince William and Prince Harry with their mother, Princess Diana.
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