Amid the royal family drama, Prince William took a moment to share some bittersweet memories of Scotland during a recent visit.
While at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Duke of Cambridge revealed how the country hosted one of the “saddest” moments of his life following the tragic death of his mother Princess Diana. As you may know, William was just 15 years old when the young royal was killed in a fatal car accident in Paris in 1997. He said:
“Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also, my saddest. I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died. Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning, and in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep.”
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The speech quickly took a different turn to focus on some happier memories he has of the area, including meeting wife Kate Middleton at St. Andrews University:
“And yet alongside this painful memory, is one of great joy. Because it was here in Scotland — twenty years ago this year — that I first met Catherine. Needless to say, the town where you meet your future wife holds a very special place in your heart.”
Even more so, the 38-year-old plans to pass the couple’s love of Scotland to their three children:
“George, Charlotte, and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they are starting to build their own happy memories here too. We have no doubt they will grow up sharing our love and connection to Scotland from the Highlands to the Central Belt, from the Islands to the Borders.”
Even with the positive moments, we are sure it is rough to return to a place that still holds so much pain and tragedy.
This comes just two days after William spoke out against journalist Martin Bashir for using “exploitative” tactics to secure an interview with his mother in 1995, where she got candid about her marriage to Prince Charles and his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. He said in a powerful statement earlier this week:
“It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia, and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.”
It definitely has not been an easy time for the royal family. You can ch-ch-check out William’s full speech for yourself (below):
[Image via WENN/Avalon & WENN]
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