Prince Harry says 'nobody told me joy was still allowed' after Princess Diana's death
Prince Harry says 'nobody told me joy was still allowed' after Princess Diana's death
Sophia Papamavroudi & Scarlett O'TooleThu, October 15, 2026 at 7:47 AM UTC
0
Prince Harry spoke about his grief -Credit:YouTube/MasterClass (YouTube/MasterClass)Prince Harry candidly opened up in a MasterClass session about his grief journey following Princess Diana's death, sharing how he learned that joy after loss is not a betrayal
Prince Harry made a heartbreaking admission about his experience with grief after the death of his mother, Princess Diana.
The Duke of Sussex joined Dr Mary-Frances O'Connor on the MasterClass video-streaming learning platform for a session titled Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss. Harry opened up about his emotions following his mother's death in a Paris car crash in 1997, when he was only 12 years old.
The Duke of Sussex said, "I'd spent so long emotionally numb, to a large extent, because nobody told me that joy was still allowed. That it wasn't betrayal." Elsewhere in the session, Harry explained how he managed to unlock memories of his mom 20 years after her death.
• Barbera Thornhill undergoes 'Mar-a-Lago' makeover as critics beg for 'trigger warning'
• Mike Tyson shuts down Trump aide Natalie Harp with blunt remark spotted by lip reader
Harry continued, "Because I felt disloyal and guilty for the possibility of being happy and joyful without her. I felt like I had to be sad and I had to be emotionally numb in order to prove to her that I missed her."
However, he revealed that once he properly worked through his feelings, he realized the opposite was actually true. Harry said, "The reality is, what I discovered was actually that she just wanted me to be happy.
Advertisement
Prince Harry opened up about his mom -Credit:YouTube/MasterClass
"And that was a huge mental shift for me. It freed me, and it gave me a whole different outlook on life." Harry also explained how a therapist helped him access his grief over Diana's death.
The Duke of Sussex admitted he didn't shed tears for nearly 20 years following his mother's death and thinks of her "pretty much every night and then most mornings." He revealed his therapist suggested he find Diana's perfume to trigger memories after he admitted having lost recollection of her voice.
Harry explained the scent released a wave of emotions and memories that had been buried for years. He said, "It was like being transported to another time.
"It unlocked everything that had been locked away. Spraying my mother's scent was almost like knocking certain bricks through so that I could see through and certain memories and experiences could start seeping back."
This comes as a source close to Prince Harry suggested he received payment for the appearance following reports suggesting he was given up to £75,500 ($100,000) for the session.
Princess Diana died in a car crash -Credit:David Levenson, Getty Images
The Daily Mail reported that the duke may have been paid $100,000 along with a portion of subscription revenues from the online platform. An annual MasterClass membership costs between £120 ($160) and £228 ($300).
A source close to Harry verified he received payment, though the precise financial arrangements were not disclosed. "I'd encourage everyone to watch it before casting any judgment," they added, insisting the duke shouldn't face criticism for "speaking from the heart".
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
