Prince William speaks of 'shock' at losing mother Diana

Nearly 12 years after Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris, Prince William spoke of the "shock and disbelief" at losing his beloved mother and the "emptiness" on the occasion of Mother's Day.

"Losing a child or being a child when your parent dies is the awful reality for over 23,000 families in Britain every year. Initially there's sense of profound shock and disbelief that this could ever happen to you."

"Real grief often does not hit home until much later. For many it is a grief never entirely lost. Life is altered as you know it and not a day goes past without you thinking about the one you have lost.

"However, I also know that over time it is possible to learn to live with what has happened and, with the passing of years, to retain or rediscover cherished memories," the media quoted the second-in-line to the British throne as saying.

According to the Prince, the Child Bereavement Charity which launched its Mother's Day campaign can never replace the love of mothers.

Prince William said: "Mother's Day is so painful for grieving families; for mothers remembering a lost child or for children longing for their mother -- a day of happiness turned to sadness."

"Losing a close family member is one of the hardest experiences that anyone can ever endure. Never being able to say the word 'Mummy' again in your life sounds like a small thing."

"However, for many, including me, it's now really just a word -- hollow and evoking only memories. I can therefore wholeheartedly relate to the Mother's Day campaign as I too have felt -- and still feel -- the emptiness on such a day as Mother's Day."