Prince William Recalls Emotional Childhood Memory with Prince Harry in First Public Mention of Brother in Years

In a rare moment, William opens up about a cherished childhood memory with Harry, marking the first time in years he’s spoken publicly about his brother

Prince William in March 2024; Prince Harry in 2021. Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage; Gotham/GC Images

Prince William is revisiting one of the most impactful moments of his childhood — a powerful experience he shared with his brother, Prince Harry.

In the Prince of Wales’ upcoming two-part documentary (airing on Oct. 30 and 31 on ITV in the U.K.), titled Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, the royal offers a unique, in-depth look his five-year Homewards program, which aims to demonstrate that homelessness across the U.K. can be eradicated.

In a newly released clip from the documentary on Oct. 26, William reflects on how his late mother, Princess Diana, first introduced him to the issue of homelessness by taking him and Harry to The Passage, a U.K. charity supporting those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

“My mother took me to The Passage; she took Harry and I both there. I must have been 11 at the time, maybe 10. I had never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious about what to expect,” William says in the clip, which is believed to be his first public mention of Harry in several years.

Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Prince William visit The Passage in 1994. Kensington Palace/Twitter

He goes on to describe Diana’s natural way of easing everyone’s nerves.

“My mother went about her usual, making everyone feel relaxed, having a laugh and joking with everyone,” he says. “I remember at the time kind of thinking, ‘Well, if everyone doesn’t have a home, they’re all going to be really sad.’ But it was incredible how happy an environment it was.”

Reflecting on the experience, William says, “I remember having some good conversations, playing chess, chatting and that’s when it dawned on me that there were other people out there who don’t have the same life as you do. You know, when you’re quite small, you just think life is what you see in front of you and you don’t really have concept to look elsewhere. It’s when you meet people, as I did then, who put a different perspective in your head and say, ‘Well, I was living on the street last night,’ and you’re like, ‘Woah.’ I remember that happening.”

Prince William behind the scenes filming a documentary for his Homewards program.Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace/Shutterstock

Prince William has served as patron of The Passage since 2019. Since his first visit to the charity alongside his brother, Harry, he’s returned on several occasions.

Prince William on his first visits to The Passage with his mother, Princess Diana, in 1993.The Passage

In a 2017 interview with Newsweek, Harry also opened up about the experience, saying, “”My mother took a huge part in showing me an ordinary life, including taking me and my brother to see homeless people. Thank goodness I’m not completely cut off from reality. People would be amazed by the ordinary life William and I live.”

Prince William on his first visit to The Passage with his mother in 1993.The Passage

William’s comments come amid ongoing strain between the brothers. It’s been widely reported that tension between Harry and William began in 2016 after William expressed concerns about how quickly Harry was moving in his relationship with Meghan Markle. In 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they were stepping back from their royal roles.

Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, on what would have been her 60th birthday on July 1, 2021 in London, England.Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The last time the brothers appeared together was in August at their uncle Lord Robert Fellowes’ memorial service. However, they reportedly did not interact with one another there.

Sources previously told PEOPLE that Harry’s attempts to connect with William — through texts, calls, and messages — have been ignored.

The rift with Prince William is “very bad,” a royal insider said, but it’s not “irreparable.”

Prince William on his first visits to The Passage with his mother, Princess Diana, in 1993.The Passage

William’s documentary, which airs on Oct 30 and 31, will follow him as he launches Homewards across the U.K., as well as the journeys of those currently facing homelessness or who have lived experience of the issue. The documentary will also feature well-known advocates of the program, alongside those leading individual projects across the U.K.

Prince William on his first visits to The Passage with his mother, Princess Diana, in 1993. 

The Royal Foundation has described Homewards as “a five-year program that aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to end homelessness by working with six locations across the UK to put collaboration at the heart of the response.”