Prince Harry Reveals Mentor Who Helped Him After Princess Diana's Death

Harry, 32, gave credit to a mentor at Sandhurst Military Academy.

ByABC News
September 20, 2016, 12:01 PM

— -- Prince Harry revealed today that a sergeant at Sandhurst Military Academy helped him deal with the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997, when Harry was just 12.

The 32-year-old prince said his Colour Sergeant at the military academy in Camberley, England, gave him hope and the "confidence to look forward" in 2005 after losing his mother at such a young age.

“I was at a stage in my life when I was probably lacking a bit in guidance,” Harry told students at the Mackie Academy in Stonehaven Aberdeenshire, Scotland. “I lost my mum when I was very young and suddenly I was surrounded by a huge number of men in the army.”

Harry spoke to a group of students who are training to become mentors. When each person was asked to fill in the blank on a piece of paper with #MyMentor, Harry wrote Colour Sergeant.

PHOTO: Prince Harry is seen here alongside Tessy Ojo, Chief Executive of the Diana Awards, during a MY Mentor reflection activity where participants discuss who has been their role model, in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Prince Harry is seen here alongside Tessy Ojo, Chief Executive of the Diana Awards, during a MY Mentor reflection activity where participants discuss who has been their role model, in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

“He was someone who teased me at the right moments and gave me the confidence to look forward, to actually have that confidence in yourself to know who you are and to push forward and try to help others,” Harry said of his mentor, whose name was not given.

The students are part of the Diana Award Charity that was set up in Diana’s name to recognize young role models who selflessly devote their lives to help others. The charity is also at the forefront of efforts to prevent bullying cyber bullying and harassment among young people.

The school was the first of three stops for Harry as he spends the day in Scotland meeting with young people. Harry also visited the StreetSport youth program which uses sports and arts projects to keep kids off the streets.

PHOTO: Prince Harry plays panna knockout football with Nordean Elouissi as part of the Streetsport initiative during a visit to Robert Gordon University, Sept. 20, 2016, in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Prince Harry plays panna knockout football with Nordean Elouissi as part of the Streetsport initiative during a visit to Robert Gordon University, Sept. 20, 2016, in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Harry has jumped back into his charity work after recently returning to the U.K. from Africa where he spent the summer working on elephant conservation programs. Later this fall, Harry will depart for the Caribbean on a royal tour representing his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

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