Prince Harry says his mom Princess Diana is 'helping him' now: 'I feel her presence'
Edward SegarraPrince Harry is revealing more about his reunion with his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, his life in California and keeping his mother Princess Diana's memory alive.
Speaking to “Today” show anchor Hoda Kotb from the fifth Invictus Games, an international sports competition for injured veterans and service members which he founded, Harry reflected on his visit with the British monarch at Windsor Castle ahead of the event and gave an update on her health.
“Being with her, it was great,” Harry said in the interview, which aired Wednesday. “It was just so nice to see her.”
“She’s on great form,” Harry said of his grandmother, who suffered a bout of COVID-19 in February.
Prince Harry on Invictus Games being a full-circle moment for him and Duchess Meghan
The queen, who turns 96 on Thursday, has been experiencing mobility problems, cutting back on public duties after spending a night in the hospital in October and testing positive for COVID. She attended a memorial service last month for her late husband Prince Philip and has continued to meet virtually with diplomats and politicians.
The queen also did not attend the Easter Sunday service at St. George's Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle, a fixture in the royals' calendar.
Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan visit with Queen Elizabeth II on their way to Invictus Games
Prince Harry has a 'special relationship' with Queen Elizabeth, wants his kids to meet her
According to Harry, the queen is in good spirits. “She’s always got a great sense of humor with me,” Harry added. “I’m just making sure that she’s, you know, protected and got the right people around her.”
“It was really nice to catch up with her,” he continued.
When Kotb asked Harry what his favorite character trait of his grandmother is, he shared, "Her sense of humor and her ability to see the humor in so many different things."
"We have a really special relationship, we talk about things that she can't talk about with anyone else so that's a nice piece to it," he added.
Harry was accompanied by wife Duchess Meghan during his U.K. visit.
Prince William, Duchess Kate, more royals attend Easter service without Queen Elizabeth
For Meghan, 40, Thursday’s visit marked her first time in the country since March 2020 when she and Harry, 37, stepped away from royal duties and moved to California. Prior to Thursday, Harry was last seen in the U.K. in July 2021 for the unveiling of a statue of his mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace in London.
During the interview, Harry expressed that he's "trying to make it possible that I can get my kids to meet" Queen Elizabeth, but there are a lot of security concerns with The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, beginning on June 2, 2022 with The Queen’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) that might not make it possible then. Harry and Meghan are parents to Archie, 2, and Lilibet, 10 months.
Harry and Meghan have found a 'great community' in Santa Barbara
Of living in the U.S., Harry revealed to Kotb that it genuinely feels like home, gushing about the warm reception he and his family have received.
“We’ve been welcomed with open arms, and (we’ve) got such a great community up in Santa Barbara,” Harry said.
In March 2021, Harry and Meghan told Oprah Winfrey in a TV interview that their decision to leave the U.K. was based in part because they were fed up with racism in the British media and in the royal family. Harry said he wanted to protect Meghan, who said she became suicidal from the pressure of royal life.
Prince Harry says his mom Princess Diana's presence is 'constant'
Harry also revealed how he's brought a piece of home in England with him by keeping his mother Princess Diana's memory alive and sharing stories with Archie. "I tell him all the stuff that happened. I tell him, 'This is grandma Diana,' and we've got a couple of photos up at the house," he shared.
Kotb further questioned whether he feels Diana's presence in his life, to which he said, "It's constant. It has been over the last two years. More so than ever before."
"It's almost like she's done her bit with my brother (Prince William) and now she's very much helping me. She got him set up and now she's helping me get set up," Harry said, referring to William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, welcoming their three children: George, 8, Charlotte, 6, and Louis, 3.
Harry added, "I feel her presence in almost everything that I do now."
More:Prince William, Duchess Kate scrap first stop of Caribbean tour after protest in Belize
Contributing: The Associated Press, Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY
