Prince William Talks Princess Diana At Child Bereavement Charity Event

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, reflected on the death of his mother Princess Diana in a speech at a charity event for Child Bereavement UK (CBUK) at London's Banqueting Hall last night.

"Twenty one years ago last month, my mother attended the launch of the Child Bereavement Charity," his speech began.

"What my mother recognized back then — and what I understand now — is that grief is the most painful experience that any child or parent can endure."

Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997 when William was 15 years old. CBUK founding patron Julia Samuel was one of Diana's best friends and is also godmother to William's son, Prince George.

"My mother was determined to help those in need and she would have been immensely proud – as I am – of all that Child Bereavement UK has achieved these last 21 years.

"Tonight we celebrate the enormous, positive difference this charity has made to bereaved families across the country. We support the love, skills and support provided by the charity's staff, volunteers and supporters.

"When many people slink away at the sight of a friend's bereavement, CBUK's staff embrace strangers at the darkest moment in their life."

The stated goal of Child Bereavement UK is to support families and educate professionals "when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement."

The organization does this by providing bereavement assistance such as individual, couple and family sessions as well as working with child and young adult groups. Additionally, CBUK provides training and staff support services such as workshops and consultations to organizations that could benefit from child bereavement learning. More than 6,000 people annually take this training to better help them understand and meet the needs of grieving families.

"I have witnessed first-hand the difference CBUK has made – and continues to make – to the lives of bereaved families," William continued.

"CBUK works with military families, with the wrecked families of suicide victims, with little children whose lives are torn apart by the inexplicable death of a parent.

"And yet amid all this misery, CBUK – and I don't know how they do this – brings warmth, comfort, a guiding hand, a way through, even colour and joyfulness, and a renewed opportunity for love as a family reknits itself after tragedy.

"CBUK's humanity is simply unparalleled, and it is deeply moving. As a father to two young children, I now appreciate it all the more."

This isn't the first time Prince William has taken action to support Child Bereavement UK. In 2014 he recorded a message about impact on young students who suffer the loss of someone close to them.