Prince William reportedly made a heartbreaking promise to his mother, Princess Diana, a year before her tragic death.
The Prince of Wales was just 14 years old when his mother, Princess Diana, had to give up the title “Her Royal Highness” following her divorce from then-Prince Charles in 1996.
Because of the change, Diana had to perform a formal greeting called a bow to her ex-husband, her children and other senior members of the royal family.
During this emotional moment, William promised his mother, “Don’t worry, Mom, I’ll give it back to you someday when I’m king.”
For the unversed, a bow is a traditional way for women or girls to greet someone by slightly bending their knees and lowering their head.
Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, revealed that teenager Wliiam’s promise left the princess with many emotions, via Radaronline.com.
“Diana was incredibly touched by what William said – she told her friends it was one of the kindest things he had ever done for her,” a source told the outlet.
“Even as a teenager, William was remarkably empathetic,” they continued. “He could see how much the loss of his title hurt him, and he just wanted to take that pain away the only way he knew how.”
However, a year after the divorce, Diana died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997.
A second palace source said: “It’s heartbreaking when you think about it. The loss of Diana was the defining wound of William’s life, and that small promise became a symbol of how much he couldn’t protect her.”
“The tragedy is that he will never be able to fulfill it, no matter what kind of king he becomes.”
