Prince Harry has entered the next chapter of his life as a father to baby Archie, and it's brought him back to thoughts of his late mother, Princess Diana. The absence of his mom, who tragically passed away when he was just 12, seems even more profound now that he's experiencing the joys and challenges of parenthood. Her memory is a guiding light as he steps into this new role.
Currently in the Netherlands, where he's busy preparing for next year's Invictus Games, the 34-year-old royal found a moment to connect with Dennis van der Stroon, a former soldier who has his own story of loss. While Meghan Markle remains back in Windsor, recovering from the recent birth, Harry seized the opportunity to engage in a heartfelt conversation about the universal pain of losing a mother.
“I shared my experience about my mother with Harry, and we both reflected on the shared ache of missing a mom,” Dennis revealed, according to Hello! magazine. “Harry expressed how losing a mother feels like losing a certain kind of security, something every son craves. He emphasized how this void is felt deeply when a mother is gone. Interestingly, he mentioned that in his work, he often meets people who have lost loved ones—mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers—and when he hears their stories, like the one I shared, he feels less isolated in his own grief.”
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Memories of Diana Amid New Beginnings
Dennis lost his mother, Marion, to chronic lung disease in 2014, while Princess Diana tragically passed away in 1997 after a devastating car accident. “At some point, we just clicked on this deeper level,” Dennis recounted. “We delved into how my wife, Mireille, is 20 weeks pregnant with our first child, a girl, and Harry shared how special it was for him that his son had just been born. It was a moment of connection and mutual understanding.”
Shared Experiences of Parenthood
The new father and his newfound friend dove into the topic of parenthood, with Prince Harry enthusiastically discussing his new role. “Harry spoke passionately about how having a small child has become his new focus and ultimate goal,” Dennis shared. “I confided in him about my struggles with mental health a few months ago, but now my wife’s pregnancy has given me something to look forward to. It was comforting to know we both understood the transformative power of becoming a parent.”
