What Prince Harry Said About Princess Diana On Her Birthday Will Leave You In Tears

It's hard to believe that Princess Diana died nearly 25 years ago. She was just 36 years old at the time. Equally as hard to fathom is that today, July 1, 2022, would have marked the Princess of Wales' 61st birthday (via New York Post).

In honor of the bittersweet milestone, both of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have shared emotional messages to winners of the Diana Award, which honors young people who endeavor to make a difference in the world. "You truly are the personification of my mother's legacy and I know she would be so proud of you all," the elder brother wrote to the award's recipients (via People).

William went on to declare that the best way to celebrate his mother's life is to recognize people who, like Diana, want to help others.

For his part, Harry got a little more personal with his words to the Diana Award winners — and you may just be moved to tears by what he has to say.

Instead of a letter, Prince Harry chose a video address to congratulate the winners of the award named after his late mother. "There isn't a day during the past two and half decades where I haven't thought about the mark she left not only on me and my brother, but on all of our lives," the Duke of Sussex said in his message (via People).

He went on to say that he sees Princess Diana's legacy in so many people around him, including the award recipients and those who came before this year's winners. "I see her legacy every time I meet with families, young people, and children from all corners of the world," Harry continued, going on to poignantly note, "And, I see my mum's legacy when I look at my own children every day."

Of course, Harry now has two children with his wife Meghan Markle. Archie is 3 and his sister, Lilibet Diana, named after both Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana, just recently turned one.

Prince Harry has often spoken about the lasting impact his mother's death has had on his life. Opening up on the docuseries "The Me You Can't See" about how the tragedy affected him in his adult life, the Duke of Sussex said, "I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs. I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling" (via ET Online).

And last year, in a touching foreword to a children's book on loss, the dad of two wrote, "When I was a young boy I lost my mum. At the time I didn't want to believe it or accept it, and it left a huge hole inside of me" (via Today). He went on to say that over time, that hole was "filled with so much love and support."

Harry has also shared that therapy helps him cope with the tragedy and find joy in his life with Meghan Markle and their kids (via TMZ). Now that he's a father, the former royal has also said he feels connected to his mom more than ever.