As Buckingham Palace announced a decline in the Queen’s health on Thursday, Prince William and Prince Harry hurried to Scotland to be by their grandmother’s side.
In unison with their sorrow, the royal brothers traveled to Balmoral to be with their families.
They have some of their happiest and most painful memories there.
When William and Harry learned of the passing of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997, they were reportedly staying at Balmoral.
The Queen at the time chose to stay in Scotland with the boys rather than go back to London, where there was a flood of grief. She received some criticism, but felt that her grandsons were her top priority.
Princess Anne responded to the controversy in a 2017 interview, saying: “I think my mother did exactly the right thing. I think it’s absolutely extraordinary that any right-minded parent should believe… [there] would have been an alternative to bring those children down here to London in all that hoo-ha.
I simply don’t understand how you could believe that would have been a wiser course of action.
When asked if the Queen was prioritizing her grandchildren, the Princess Royal responded, “Absolutely. If those two had been somewhere else, I don’t think they could have survived.
The only positive outcome was that they were present, had that support system, and people who could relate to them. Now just give them some time.
William spoke last year to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland about his loss during his royal tour of Scotland with wife Kate. When I learned that my mother had passed away, I was in Balmoral, and that morning, while I was still in shock, I found solace in the service at Crathie Kirk.
The connection I feel to Scotland will always be strong because I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors during the subsequent dark days of grief.
In a heartfelt tribute to the Queen this week, William once more mentioned the passing of his mother.
He said, “She was by my side in my happiest moments and she was by my side in my darkest days.” It will take some time before the reality of life without Grannie feels truly real, but I knew this day would come.
“I thank her for the kindness she extended to my family and me, and I thank her on behalf of my generation for setting an example of service and dignity in public life that was rooted in a different era but was always applicable to all of us,” William continued.
“My grandmother is credited with the famous quote, ‘Grief is the price we pay for love. The sorrow we will experience over the next few weeks will all be a reflection of the love we had for our extraordinary Queen. In order to honor her memory, I will do everything in my power to help my father, The King.
