Tony Blair has opened up about his first conversation with the Queen following the death of Princess Diana in new BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days. In preview footage of the much-anticipated programme, which airs on Sunday night, the former Prime Minister revealed that her main concern was her grandchildren, Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, who was just 12 at the time.
He said: "She was most worried I think about the impact on the boys. She was obviously very sad about Diana. She was concerned about the Monarchy itself because the Queen has a very strong instinct about public opinion and how it plays out. At that first conversation, we just agreed to keep closely in touch."
Tony Blair opens up about his first conversation with the Queen after Princess Diana's death
In the documentary, William and Harry also open up about their late mother. At one point, Harry, visibly emotional while talking about Diana, vowed to make a difference and to keep her legacy alive. He said: "All I want to do is fill the holes that my mother has left, and between myself and William, and everyone else who’s in those privileged positions, to try and make a difference. And that's what it's about for us. To try and make a difference," he said.
Tony Blair at Princess Diana's funeral
William, meanwhile, discussed his "element of duty" to the public, saying: "Our parents bought us up to understand that as best we can. That there is this element of duty and responsibility, that you have to do things that you don’t want to do." Adding, he said: "But when it goes to walking behind your mother's funeral cortege, it goes to another level."
The documentary focuses on how Diana's sudden and tragic passing catapulted the British public into one of the most extraordinary weeks in modern history. The synopsis for the film, made by award-winning filmmaker Henry Singer, questions: "What was it about Diana that explained such an outpouring of grief? What did that week reveal about the British public's relationship with the monarchy, then and now? And how – if at all – has Britain changed in the aftermath?"
Diana, 7 Days will air at 7:30pm on Sunday 27 August on BBC One.
