The late monarch’s strict Balmoral rule after Diana’s death revealed
The royal family was left in shock when the devastating news of Diana’s death reached Balmoral Castle on 31 August, 28 years ago. Diana and her partner, Dodi Fayed, had been killed in a tragic car crash in Paris, leaving William and Harry without their mother at just 15 and 12 years old.
Although King Charles and Diana’s marriage had ended in a messy and public divorce, they remained united in their dedication to their children. William and Harry shared a deep love for their mother, and the loss hit them hard.
Whatever grievances Queen Elizabeth may have had with her former daughter-in-law, she acted instantly to protect her grandsons. According to Diana’s friend and royal expert Tina Brown, the Queen ordered that every television and radio at Balmoral be removed. Only the sets in her and Prince Philip’s private rooms remained. “For her, the only important thing was to protect Harry and William from the loss of their mother,” Brown explained in Channel 5’s The Day Diana Died documentary.
Elizabeth wanted the boys to hear the truth only from their father. In his memoir Spare, Harry described the moment Charles broke the news: “My dear son, mum has had a car accident. There have been complications. Mum has been seriously injured and has been taken to hospital, my dear son.”
The Queen’s swift decision gave William and Harry a small shield from the outside world, ensuring they learned of their mother’s death in the most private and compassionate way possible.
