Prince William recently revealed that Tina Turner’s “The Best” instantly transports him back to cherished childhood memories with his late mother, Princess Diana.
A Royal Soundtrack to Ease Back-to-School Jitters
The Prince of Wales shared a poignant memory of car rides with Diana, princess of Wales, and how music helped soothe anxieties about returning to boarding school.
- in a departure from his typically reserved public persona, Prince William opened up about a deeply personal connection to a song from his youth.
- The Princess of Wales frequently enough played music in the car to comfort William and prince Harry during transitions, particularly the return to boarding school.
- “The Best” by Tina Turner stands out as a song that evokes strong feelings of family and togetherness for the Prince of Wales.
- The memory highlights Diana’s efforts to create a sense of normalcy and joy for her sons amidst a life lived in the public eye.
- Prince William recently echoed his mother’s commitment to charitable work, bringing his son Prince George to a Christmas event at The Passage.
Why did Prince William share this memory? Prince William,41,publicly recalled a cherished childhood memory involving his late mother,Princess Diana,during an appearance on the Apple Fitness+ podcast “Time to Walk” in December 2023. He spoke about how music,specifically Tina Turner’s “The Best,” helped ease his and his brother Prince Harry’s anxieties about returning to boarding school after holidays.
Who was involved? The key figures in this story are Prince William,Princess Diana,and Prince Harry. The memory centers around the dynamic between William and Diana, with Harry also present during these car journeys. even the security detail, a policeman driving them, was occasionally part of the musical moments.
William recalled how Diana would intentionally play upbeat music to distract them from the stress of returning to school. “When I was younger, Harry and I, we were at boarding school. And my mother used to play all sorts of songs to kind of while away the anxiety of going back to school,” he said. He specifically highlighted “The Best” as a song that has remained particularly poignant for him.
What happened during these car rides? The Prince described a joyful scene of Diana driving and singing along to the music at the top of her voice, with William and Harry joining in from the backseat. He even noted that their security detail would sometimes participate, creating a lighthearted atmosphere. This musical bubble provided a temporary escape from the looming reality of school. “And my mother, she’d be driving along, singing at the top of her voice. And we’d even get the policeman in the car, he’d be occasionally singing along, as well,” William shared.
He explained that the music would continue playing until they reached the school gates, at which point the reality of returning to school would set in. “You’d be singing and listening to the music right the way out into the gates of school, when they dropped you off. And, and that’s when reality kind of sunk in that you really were going back to school because before that, you’re lost in songs,” William added.
how did this story end? Princess Diana tragically died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. William was 15 and Harry was 12 at the time.While William rarely speaks publicly about his mother,he shared this memory as a way to illustrate the positive impact she had
