Prince Harry ‘really regrets’ not talking about Diana’s death sooner

Britain’s Prince Harry has revealed to the BBC that he regrets not talking about how the death of his mother, Princess Diana, affected him.

The 31-year-old was 12 when the Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

The royal spoke at an event for the mental health charity, Heads Together. He was also filmed opening up to former Manchester United footballer, Rio Ferdinand.

Britain's Prince Harry smiles as he attends a ceremony for the 2015 London Marathon. The engagement of the prince and American actress Meghan Markle was announced on Monday, November 27.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana leave a London hospital with newborn baby Harry on September 16, 1984. It was their second son.

Harry is held by his mother during this family photo with his dad and his brother, Prince William, in 1984.

Harry, left, and William play on rocking horses at Kensington Palace.

Harry sticks his tongue out, much to the surprise of his mother, at Buckingham Palace in 1988.

Prince Charles and his sons pose outside a country house circa 1990.

Harry, left, and William wave to the cameras during a 1991 tour of Canada. The caps were given to them by the crew of the Canadian frigate HMCS Ottawa.

Princess Diana and her sons visit Thorpe Park, a theme park in Surrey, England, in 1993.

Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, offers Harry a reassuring arm during her funeral service in 1997.

Prince Charles and his sons enjoy a ski holiday together in 2000.

Harry takes part in the traditional Wall Game at Eton College in 2003.

In 2003, Harry stands between some artwork he completed while studying at Eton College.

Harry holds an echidna at Sydney's Taronga Zoo in 2003.

Harry takes part in a 2005 Trooping the Colour event with fellow cadets at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England.

Harry, far left, joins a photo for his father's second marriage in 2005. After Harry, from left, are his brother; his father; his stepmother, Camilla; and Camilla's children, Laura and Tom Parker Bowles.

Harry and Queen Elizabeth II share a joke on his father's wedding day.

Harry takes part in military training in 2005. In February 2008, the British Ministry of Defense announced that Harry had secretly been serving in Afghanistan with his Army unit on a four-month mission. The next day, he was withdrawn for security reasons.

Harry and his girlfriend at the time, Chelsy Davy, watch a rugby match in London in 2009.

Harry joins Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2012.

Harry smiles after playing rugby at a beach in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.

Harry receives a royal salute from the honor guard at the Garden Island naval base in Sydney in 2013.

Harry plays rugby with children as he takes part in a coaching session in London in 2013.

Harry flies in the back of a Spitfire in this undated photo released in 2015. The flight was to promote his Spitfire scholarship, which offers training for wounded service members.

Harry and his father attend a 2015 memorial service for the Battle of Gallipoli, a World War I campaign that took place a century earlier.

Harry, William and Catherine take a photo with US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama after the Obamas arrived at Kensington Palace in 2016.

Harry sits with Hayley Henson, left, and her daughter Emily during the Invictus Games in Toronto in September. Hayley is married to British paralympian David Henson, and young Emily was sneaking bites of the prince's popcorn. Harry founded the Invictus Games, an international sporting competition for injured service members.

Harry watches wheelchair tennis with his girlfriend, Meghan Markle, at the Invictus Games in September.

Harry smiles as he speaks to veterans in London in November. He was attending the official opening ceremony of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.

Harry and Markle take photos at Kensington Palace to announce their engagement.

Prince Harry through the years

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“I really regret not ever talking about it,” Harry told Ferdinand. “For the first 28 years of my life, I never talked about it.”

Prince Harry at 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016), Durban, South Africa.

Related article Prince Harry follows Diana's footsteps to fight AIDS

The event, which was hosted at Kensington Palace, was attended by several high-profile sports stars who were invited to open up about experiences in their past. Harry set the charity up with his brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton.

“The key message here today is that everyone can suffer from mental health,” Harry told BBC Breakfast.

“Whether you’re a member of the royal family, whether you’re a soldier, whether you’re a sport star. It doesn’t really matter. Everyone can suffer.”

He explained it was important for those grieving to talk about their feelings: “It’s OK to suffer, but as long as you talk about it. It’s not weakness. Weakness is having a problem and not recognizing it and not solving that problem.”

Prince Harry with his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

The prince has recently followed in the footsteps of his mother while campaigning to end today’s AIDS epidemic.

“When my mother held the hand of a man dying of AIDS in East London hospital, no one would have imagined that just over a quarter of a century later, treatment would exist that could see HIV-positive people live full, healthy loving lives,” he said at the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa.