Prince Harry is getting candid about his mother’s tragic death.

“I knew there would always be a gaping hole that could never be filled,” the 31-year-old royal said of losing his mom, Princess Diana, during a speech at the Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho, Africa on Thursday, Nov. 26.

prince harry and princess diana

Harry and Diana in August 1988.

Diana sadly passed away in a car accident in August 1997 at age 36. Her sons, Harry and Prince William, were just 12 and 15-years-old, respectively, at the time of their mother’s sudden death.

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Following his appearance at the Mamohato Children’s Centre—an African orphanage built by Harry’s charity, Sentebale—the Prince of Wales admitted losing a parent at such a young age has given him a personal connection to orphaned children.

prince harry

Harry visiting Mamohato Children’s Centre on Thursday, Nov. 26.

“The children at [Mamohato Children’s Centre] were far younger than me, and of course, their situation was a great deal more challenging than my own,” Harry said, according to Us Weekly. “Nonetheless, we shared a similar feeling of loss, having a loved one—in my case a parent—snatched away so suddenly.”