Prince Harry Has One Question For Princess Diana – And It Puts Megxit In Sharp Focus

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Princess Diana's tragic death occurred more than two decades before her son Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, shocked the world by leaving his role as a working royal, yet her influence apparently played a major part in the decision. Now, Harry's opening up about losing his mother when he was only 12 years old — and he's making it clear how much of an effect her beliefs have on him to this day. 

Alongside Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor, Harry now has his own MasterClass: "Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss." In it, the duke opens up about life after his mother's death. He explains there's one photo of Diana smiling that makes him feel close to her. "I can actually get eye contact from her, and there's a cheekiness in her smile... I just feel very connected to her," he says of the portrait. He notes, "I find myself looking at her and wondering, what is she thinking about what I am doing right now?" This question has clearly long affected Harry — especially since his years-long feud with King Charles III leaves no question that his dad hardly agrees with all of his choices. Yet, knowing that Princess Diana would want nothing more than his happiness gave him the courage to leave royal life and the U.K. alongside Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex when few others approved. Now, it is surely encouraging him in his move back to the U.K. amid the royal family truce, too.

"I'd spent so long emotionally numb, to a large extent, because I felt disloyal and guilty for the possibility of being happy and joyful without her," Prince Harry explains of grieving the loss of his mother in his MasterClass. "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," he notes. 

When this perspective changed, how Harry honored his mother changed with it. "The reality is, what I discovered was actually that she just wanted me to be happy. And that was a huge mental shift for me. It freed me, and it gave me a whole different outlook on life," Harry explains. You don't need to be a royal expert to see that Harry has been focused on doing what makes him happy over the course of the past decade. And it seems that this is all thanks to his mom's wishes.

Harry's trauma responses to Princess Diana's death have clearly informed many of his choices. They seem to have a lot to do with his commitment to privacy and security for his family and his constant struggle with the press. Yet, it's nice to know that Harry has also come a long way, and now, his late mother is helping him make the choices that are best for him and his family.