Britain's Prince William recalled the death of his mother, Princess Diana, on Thursday as he became a royal patron of a charity she once was associated with.
"Losing a close family member is one of the hardest experiences that anyone can endure," William said at event organized by the Child Bereavement Charity.
"Never being able to say the word 'mummy' again in your life sounds like a small thing. However, for many, including me, it's now really just a word — hollow and evoking memories," said William, the second in line to the British throne after his father, Prince Charles.
The charity tries to raise awareness of the problems that mothers whose children die and children who lose their mother can face.
Continuing mother's work
Prime William said his mother once supported the charity and that he wanted to continue her work.
Diana, the world-famous Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris almost 12 years ago, when William was 15.
