As the British Royal Family has faced a tumultuous year, Prince William has been left feeling “incredibly alone” as he navigates his responsibilities without his mother, according to a Royal expert.

The ongoing rift between brothers Prince Harry and Prince William is a particular “shame” for the elder sibling around this time of year.

That’s according to a royal expert, who reveals the anniversary of Princess Diana’s birthday is a particularly “sensitive time” for the future king – and it’s made worse this year as the only other person who knows what it was like to lose her is not there to share the feeling with.

As the anniversary of the birth of Princess Diana passed on July 1, veteran royal commentator and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond reflected on the difficult year for the future King.

Jennie said: “The anniversary is obviously always a very sensitive time for William and it is such a shame that he cannot share his feelings with the only other human being on earth who really knows what it was like to lose Diana: his brother, Harry.

“But I’m sure the princess would be immensely proud to see how courageously William has faced up to all that has happened in the past few months.”

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Diana, Princess of Wales would have been celebrating her 64th birthday ( 
Image:
Getty)
Jennie claimed William has at times “looked incredibly alone” this past year as he shouldered three major responsibilities. In what has been a challenging year for the British Royal Family, the Duke of Cambridge has seen his wife Kate Middleton and father King Charles undergo cancer treatment, while also guiding his three young children in their growing roles as key members of The Firm.

Jennie, the former BBC Royal correspondent, told OK!: “There have been times in this past year when William has looked incredibly alone, shouldering the responsibility of being a son whose father has cancer, a husband caring for his wife as she also deals with cancer, a father of three young children… and who has no brother or mother to turn to for a bit of TLC.”

Diana left an unforgettable impact on the world throughout her life. Her selfless charity work, her unwavering determination to effect change, and her impeccable fashion sense were just a few of the ways she made her presence felt. The beloved royal, who was born 63 years ago on July 1, 1961, left behind two sons who have dedicated their lives to preserving their mother’s legacy by supporting some of her favourite causes.

William, Harry and Charles at Diana's funeral
Prince William reflected on having to deal with his mother’s loss so publicly ( 
Image:
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Reflecting on her intimate conversations with Diana, Jennie added: “That was the phrase that Diana used so often, especially in our chats together at Kensington Palace. She always said that she was incredibly good at giving tender loving care, and she obviously would have given that in buckets full to her darling son. There are other members of the family who have given William all the support they can, but nothing really replaces a loving mother who will protect and guide you.

“William has now lived without his mother for a great deal longer than he had her at his side. He has often spoken about the loss of a parent and how the pain never really goes away. She is always in his thoughts and that will be true more than ever on the anniversary of her birthday.”

In the emotional 2017 ITV documentary ‘Diana, Our Mother’, William opened up about his painful journey, saying: “It’ll either make or break you. And I wouldn’t let it break me, I wanted it to make me. I wanted her to be proud of the person I’d become. I didn’t want her worried or her legacy to be, you know, that William and/or Harry were completely and utterly devastated by it.”

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A young william with his mother ( 
Image:
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
During the interview, the prince also shared his experiences of the public’s mourning outside Kensington Palace.

He shared: “People wanted to grab us, to touch us. They were shouting, wailing, literally wailing at us, throwing flowers, and yelling, sobbing, breaking down, people fainted, collapsed. It was a very alien environment. I couldn’t understand why everyone wanted to cry as loud as they did and show such emotion as they did when they didn’t really know our mother. I did feel a bit protective at times about that. You didn’t even know her – why and how are you so upset? Now looking back, I have learnt to understand what it was she gave the world and what she gave a lot of people.”