Prince William Says Queen Elizabeth's Coffin Procession Reminded Him of Princess Diana's Funeral
Prince William says the present is bringing back memories of the past.
The new Prince of Wales, 40, connected with the crowd during a walkabout in Sandringham Thursday, where he and Kate Middleton toured tributes left in Queen Elizabeth's honor following the monarch's death last week. The senior royals spent about 45 minutes speaking with mourners gathered outside the Norwich Gates of Sandringham House. There, William revealed that the ceremonial procession of Queen Elizabeth's coffin through the streets of London reminded him of the same ritual following the death of his mother Princess Diana in 1997.
Speaking to crowds outside Sandringham House, where people had come to lay flowers at the gate, a mourner said Prince William spoke of how "difficult" Wednesday's procession had been.
Andrew O'Brien - Pool/Getty Images; Georges De Keerle/Getty Images Prince William, Princess Diana
"He said how difficult it was yesterday and how it reminded him of his mum's funeral," said mourner Jane Wells, The Telegraph reported. "Catherine said it's just been such a difficult time for all of them, for the whole family."
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Samir Hussein/WireImage Prince William and Kate Middleton
On Wednesday, the future king walked with brother Prince Harry and members of the royal family behind the Queen's coffin as it moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where it will lie in state until her funeral on Monday. The path was similar to the one the brothers took 25 years ago for Diana's funeral on September 6, 1997.
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On that somber day, William and Harry — then ages 15 and 12, respectively — followed a route that began at Kensington Palace, Princess Diana's London home, to Westminster Abbey.
JEFF J. MITCHELL/AFP/Getty From left: Prince Philip, Prince William, Charles Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles walk behind Princess Diana's casket at her 1997 funeral
"It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, that walk," William admitted in the 2017 BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days. "It felt like she was almost walking along beside us to get us through it."
Diana's coffin was draped in the Royal Standard and crowned in white flowers, as the Queen's was on Wednesday.
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While talking to the public at Sandringham, the late monarch's beloved country home in Norfolk, a well-wisher told the royal heir she was near tears.
"Don't cry now — you'll start me," William replied, according to The Telegraph.
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DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry
Bex Neeve, 44, from the county of Norfolk, waited over two hours to see the Prince and Princess of Wales and told PEOPLE about the words she shared with them.
"William said he thinks Monday will be hard," Neeve tells PEOPLE. "Kate said it's been overwhelming, and she and William are very grateful for everyone being here. She was emotional. They seemed like they were here to soak up all the love."
Her mother Sharon Clouting, 64, adds, "You can tell William is his mother's son. He was chatting so easily and very sincere."
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Queen Elizabeth will be laid to rest in a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19.
Members of the royal family are expected to process behind her coffin three times: as it moves into Westminster Abbey, then 1 ½ miles across London to the Wellington Arch and finally to Windsor Castle, where the Queen will be laid to rest at St. George's Chapel.
