The sweetest tribute. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry honored Princess Diana with her favorite flowers on the 23rd anniversary of her death on Monday, August 31. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent the day volunteering at the Preschool Learning Center in Los Angeles, a program of the Assistance League, where they helped children replant their garden.
In honor of the Princess of Wales—Harry and Prince William’s late mother, who died in a car accident on August 31, 1997—Harry and Meghan brought Forget-Me-Not seeds, Diana’s favorite flower, to plant in honor of her memory. Along with the flowers, the couple also helped to plant vegetables, wildflowers and herbs. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also spent their Monday reading to the children. They read several books about gardening, vegetables and planting, including Jack and the Beanstalk.
The Preschool Learning Center, which provides services for underprivileged children in the community, is located a few blocks from where the Duchess of Sussex attended middle school and high school in Los Angeles. Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997 after her car crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris France as her driver was fleeing from the paparazzi. The crash also resulted in the deaths of Diana’s companion, Dodi Fayed, and her driver, Henri Paul, was the security manager of the Hôtel Ritz Paris. Diana’s bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, survived the crash.
Meghan and Harry’s tribute to Diana comes after he and his older brother, Prince William, announced in August that a statue of their late mother would be unveiled at the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace in July 2021 on what would’ve been her 60th birthday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s tributes also come after Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back as senior members of the British royal family in January. The couple first moved to Canada before relocating to Los Angeles. The couple then moved to Montecito in Santa Barbara, California in July.
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen,” the couple wrote on their Instagram in January.
The statement continued, “It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”