‘It haunts him’: King Charles’ ‘deepest regret’ from Princess Diana’s funeral

A royal biographer has revealed Charles’ one regret from Diana’s funeral. Photo / AP

A royal biographer has revealed King Charles’ one regret from Princess Diana’s funeral.

According to author Christopher Andersen, the monarch “deeply regrets” making his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, walk behind their mother’s coffin.

“I think it haunts him because it haunts them, and they’ve spoken about it,” he told US Weekly. “I’ve written that I believe it’s a form of PTSD.”

The writer of the biography, The King: The Life of Charles III, added that while researching the book, he learned that the Duke of Sussex has found it “triggering” to fly into London sometimes.

“[He said] it reminds him of that day when he had to walk behind the coffin, and they were more or less bullied into doing it by the palace – by the men in grey who really run the palace, the people that Diana used to complain about,” he explained to the outlet.

“[Charles, Earl Spencer], Diana’s brother … has also said that he felt that he was tricked into doing it and regrets it.

“He said it was like walking through a tunnel of grief.”

William was 15 and Harry was 12 when their mother was killed in 1997 from injuries she suffered in a Paris car crash. She was 36. At the time, her vehicle was being chased by paparazzi.

“I think both William and Harry thought, ‘Who are these strangers who never met her?’” said Andersen. “So, they were angry about what had happened. And Charles, I think, understands that to some extent he was responsible for them having to suffer through [that].”

In 2017, Harry described how difficult it was for him to participate in the funeral procession.

“My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television,” he told Newsweek at the time.

“I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”

The Duke is expected to discuss his grief in his upcoming memoir Spare which will hit shelves and Kindles on January 10.