Queen procession brought back memories of Diana’s funeral – William

Prince William has spoken about walking behind the Queen’s coffin on Wednesday – and how it bought back memories of walking behind his mother Princess Diana’s coffin in 1997. 

The Prince of Wales said it had been “challenging” as he and his wife the Princess of Wales viewed flowers and cards left outside Sandringham House. 

Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton have inherited several new titles since his father became king – including the titles Prince and Princess of Wales. Kate is the first royal to publicly use the title since William’s mother Diana. 

Speaking to a woman in the crowd, Prince William said: “I mean the walk yesterday was challenging, it brought back a few memories…”

One woman told him his mother would have been proud of him. “He said how hard it was yesterday because it brought back memories of his mother’s funeral,” she said.

Another woman said she told Prince William “thank you for sharing your grief with the nation”, and that he replied, “she was everybody’s grandmother”.

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 when Prince William was 15 and his brother Harry was 12.