"I knew there would always be a gaping hole that could never be filled."
Prince Harry was overcome with emotion as he opened up about the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, during a moving speech on Thursday, Nov. 26. Speaking at the opening of Mamohato Children's Centre in Lesotho, Africa, the royal described the profound effect his mother's passing had on him—specifically, how it's been able to help him relate to the orphans he's been inspired to help.
"I knew there would always be a gaping hole that could never be filled," the 31-year-old admitted. "The children at the center were far younger than me, and of course, their situation was a great deal more challenging than my own. Nonetheless, we shared a similar feeling of loss, having a loved one—in my case a parent—snatched away so suddenly."
It's Diana's philanthropic spirit that has motivated the prince to give back. "It's equally important, if not more so, to do the stuff behind the scenes," he explained earlier this year. "It's something that our mother did a lot. And that's the time you really get to learn. You get the experiences and you actually get the honest truth out of people."
