Prince Harry says death of Princess Diana is a 'wound that festers'

Documentary about Sussex royal tour of Africa to air on Sunday

Prince Harry says his mother's death is a 'wound that festers' (Getty)

The Duke of Sussex has revealed the stress of the memories surrounding his mother’s death is “a wound that festers” and that he feels significant pressure being a member of the royal family in the spotlight.

“I think probably a wound that festers,” Prince Harry said. ”I think being part of this family, in this role, in this job, every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back, so in that respect it’s the worst reminder of her life, as opposed to the best."

The comments come ahead of a documentary following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's tour of Southern Africa last month, where the duke traced his mother’s footsteps, 22 years later. During the tour, Prince Harry recreated a walk Diana, Princess of Wales took in 1997 through an Angolan minefield.

In a photo that resembled one taken of Diana two decades ago, Prince Harry walked through the minefield in Dirico, Angola, while dressed in body armour and a protective visor.

On Instagram, where the couple shared a photo of Princess Diana‘s visit to the minefields in 1997, they included a quote from her which read: “If an international ban on mines can be secured it means, looking far ahead, that the world may be a safer place for this generation’s grandchildren.”

“Being here now, 22 years later, trying to finish what she started, will be incredibly emotional, but everything that I do reminds me of her," the duke says in the documentary. "But as I said, with the role, with the job, and the sort of pressures that come with that, I get reminded of the bad stuff, unfortunately.”

This week, Prince Harry gave an emotional speech at an awards ceremony that celebrates children with severe illnesses, where he explained that the event resonates with him differently now that he is a father.

“My wife and I feel incredibly privileged to be able to join you once again at this year’s WellChild Awards, and to be in a room with such amazing human beings,” the duke began his speech. “It has been over a decade since I first came to these awards and every year they never fail to surprise and inspire me.Yet this year, it resonates in a different way, because now I’m a father.”

“Last year when my wife and I attended we knew we were expecting our first child,” he continued, while beginning to tear up. “No one else did at the time, but we did - and I remember…”

The documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, will air on ITV on Sunday, 20 October at 9pm.

Additional reporting by PA.