Britain's Prince William speaks with Aoife, 9, during his visit to a Child Bereavement UK Centre in Stratford in east London, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Prince William has been the royal patron of the Child Bereavement UK organisation since 2009. It supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)
The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) - Britain's Prince William has comforted a young girl who lost a parent and spoken out about his feelings when his mother, Princess Diana, died two decades ago.
During a visit to the charity Child Bereavement UK in London on Wednesday, William was seen speaking quietly to a 9-year-old girl, Aoife, about the loss of her father.
"Do you know what happened to me? You know I lost my mummy when I was very young, too. I was 15 and my brother was 12. So we lost our mummy when we were young as well," he told her, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Lorna Ireland, a parent at the event, said William told her 12-year-old son that as a teenager, he was "very angry and found it very difficult to talk about" Diana's death.
"It was very personal and it was very special," she said of his comments.
William is a royal patron to the charity, which was also supported by Diana.
This year marks 20 years since Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
The Diana Award, a charity, will remember her life with events including the launch of an international award for young people.
Earl Spencer, Diana's brother, will host an exhibition at the family's home and a fundraising event later in the year.
Britain's Prince William speaks with Aoife, 9, during his visit to a Child Bereavement UK Centre in Stratford in east London, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Prince William has been the royal patron of the Child Bereavement UK organisation since 2009. It supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)
The Associated Press
Britain's Prince William speaks with families who've experienced bereavement during his visit to a Child Bereavement UK Centre in Stratford in east London, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Prince William has been the royal patron of the Child Bereavement UK organisation since 2009. It supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)
The Associated Press
Britain's Prince William, right, and his wife Kate the Duchess of Cambridge prepare to cut a cake to celebrate the one year anniversary of this charity's branch, during their visit to a Child Bereavement UK Centre in Stratford in east London, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Prince William has been the royal patron of the Child Bereavement UK organisation since 2009. It supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)
The Associated Press