Cristina Criddle
The Telegraph
Prince Harry has said he regrets not opening up sooner about how his mother's death affected him.
The 31-year-old revealed he only began speaking three years ago about the sudden death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Prince was 12 and his brother Prince William 15 when Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31 1997.
The BBC reported that the Prince was asked by footballer Rio Ferdinand, whose wife died last year, about how it would impact his children, and replied: "I really regret not ever talking about it."
Prince Harry said that he did not speak about his loss "for the first 28 years of my life".
He added: "It's OK to suffer, as long as you talk about it.
"It's not a weakness. Weakness is having a problem and not recognising it and not solving that problem."
Prince Harry made the comments while hosting a Kensington Palace event for mental health charity Heads Together, attended by a number of high-profile sports stars who spoke about their psychological problems.
Founded by Harry with brother William and sister-in-law Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Heads Together joins eight mental health charities and organisations to tackle the stigma around depression and other psychological problems.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand and Olympic gold medallists Victoria Pendleton and Dame Kelly Holmes were among the guests, and were accompanied by a partner, relative or sports psychologist who had helped them through their issues.
Father-of-three Ferdinand said of the Prince: "He's gone through different stages in his life that my kids are going to be going towards.
"So to get some of his experiences is very rewarding for me and very educational in many ways."
Prince Harry added: "The key message here today is that everyone can suffer from mental health.
"Whether you're a member of the Royal Family, whether you're a soldier, whether you're a sports star, whether you're a team sport, individual sport, whether you're a white van driver, whether you're a mother, father, a child, it doesn't really matter."
The 31-year-old revealed he only began speaking three years ago about the sudden death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Prince was 12 and his brother Prince William 15 when Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31 1997.
The BBC reported that the Prince was asked by footballer Rio Ferdinand, whose wife died last year, about how it would impact his children, and replied: "I really regret not ever talking about it."
Prince Harry said that he did not speak about his loss "for the first 28 years of my life".
He added: "It's OK to suffer, as long as you talk about it.
"It's not a weakness. Weakness is having a problem and not recognising it and not solving that problem."
Prince Harry made the comments while hosting a Kensington Palace event for mental health charity Heads Together, attended by a number of high-profile sports stars who spoke about their psychological problems.
Founded by Harry with brother William and sister-in-law Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Heads Together joins eight mental health charities and organisations to tackle the stigma around depression and other psychological problems.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand and Olympic gold medallists Victoria Pendleton and Dame Kelly Holmes were among the guests, and were accompanied by a partner, relative or sports psychologist who had helped them through their issues.
Father-of-three Ferdinand said of the Prince: "He's gone through different stages in his life that my kids are going to be going towards.
"So to get some of his experiences is very rewarding for me and very educational in many ways."
Prince Harry added: "The key message here today is that everyone can suffer from mental health.
"Whether you're a member of the Royal Family, whether you're a soldier, whether you're a sports star, whether you're a team sport, individual sport, whether you're a white van driver, whether you're a mother, father, a child, it doesn't really matter."
