The Duke of Cambridge has detailed his heartbreaking moments following news of his mother, Princess Diana's death in 1997.
Prince William was speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the General Assembly of The Church of Scotland on Saturday when he revealed why the country holds so many memories for him.
MORE: Kate Middleton and Prince William to pay special visit to the Queen's home
"Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also, my saddest," William said in a speech delivered in his role as Lord High Commissioner.
WATCH: Prince William at the Opening Ceremony of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
"I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died. Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning.
"And in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep."
William's admission comes after he released a powerful statement following Lord Dyson's investigation that found the methods used to obtain Princess Diana's Panorama interview were "deceitful".
MORE: 9 royal moments that shocked the world
MORE: Prince Harry reveals haunting memory from Princess Diana's funeral
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince William visited Scotland on Saturday
In a video statement, Prince William said that the corporation had "failed my mother".
He said he found it "extremely concerning" that BBC employees had: "lied and used fake documents to obtain the interview with my mother; made lurid and false claims about the Royal Family which played on her fears and fuelled paranoia; displayed woeful incompetence when investigating complaints and concerns about the programme; and were evasive in their reporting to the media and covered up what they knew from their internal investigation."
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Diana died in 1997
He added that it was his view that the "deceitful way" that the interview had been conducted had influenced what Princess Diana had said and ultimately "was a major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse."
"It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her," he said.
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.
