Prince Harry and Mary-Frances O’Connor Release Grief Class

Prince Harry and grief neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor have released a MasterClass conversation about grief, resilience and coping with loss. The class, titled “Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss,” was released October 8 and centers in part on Harry’s experience after his mother, Princess Diana, died when he was 12. In the recorded conversation, Harry says he did not cry when he was told Diana had died, cried at her burial and then did not cry again for nearly two decades. He describes feeling emotionally numb and believing that this response was a sign of strength. He says he later understood that he had been a child without a roadmap for dealing with grief. Harry says therapy helped him reconnect with memories of his mother that he felt he had lost. He describes using Diana’s favorite perfume, on a therapist’s advice, as a way to bring back feelings and memories. He also says a framed photograph of her helps him feel connected to her and prompts him to wonder what she might think about his life. The class also addresses how Harry says grief affected him in adulthood.