At 42, Prince William has finally spoken candidly about the heartache and emotional scars that have shaped his life.

In a deeply personal admission, he reflects on the unbreakable bond he shared with his late mother, Princess Diana, and the devastating truth of his childhood that he could no longer keep to himself.

“My mom was everything to me,” William says, opening a window into long-hidden emotions that have affected him for years.

Diana, determined to give her sons as “normal” a life as possible despite royal constraints, shared tender moments with William.

She was fiercely protective of her children, often taking them outside the palace walls to experience life away from the public eye. “I want my children to understand that they are human beings first and princes second,” Diana once said, and this philosophy left a lasting impact on William’s values and future role as future King.

However, the trauma from Diana’s marriage to Charles would forever linger in William’s heart. His mother’s heartbreak from Charles’s affair with Camilla Parker Bowles shattered the illusion of royal unity and left deep emotional scars on the family. “My mom was the strongest person I knew, but even she couldn’t escape the pain of my father’s betrayal,” William reflects, acknowledging the hurt caused by his father’s infidelity.

Diana’s tragic death in 1997 further solidified the profound grief William endured as a 15-year-old, grieving under the public’s intense scrutiny. The media’s role in her death deeply affected William, shaping his mistrust of the press and his determination to protect his own family from the relentless spotlight.

Now, in a rare moment of openness, Prince William acknowledges the lasting impact of his childhood trauma. “Losing my mother at such a young age was the most difficult thing I’ve ever faced,” he confesses, revealing the emotional toll of growing up under such public scrutiny. Though he has often kept his emotions hidden, this rare admission marks a turning point in his journey toward healing.