Harry and Meghan celebrate in year that marked 20th anniversary of Diana's death

Diana, Princess of Wales was tragically killed in a Paris car crash in 1997 when Harry was just 12-years old.

Now as he celebrates with his bride-to-be, Harry will undoubtedly be faced with sadness that his mother was never able to see him reach this milestone or meet the woman who will become his wife.

When his older brother William proposed to Kate Middleton, he used Diana’s engagement ring.

“It was my way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement, and the fact that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together,” William said in 2010.

In August this year on the eve of the anniversary of Diana’s death, Harry and William viewed messages, pictures and flowers left in remembrance at the gates of the Princess’s former home Kensington Palace, and toured a memorial garden created in her honour.

They have also commissioned a statute to mark two decades since she was killed.

Both princes are still living with the devastating emotional impact of their mother’s death.

Harry in particular disclosed in April, as he promoted the Heads Together mental health campaign, that he sought counselling after two years of “total chaos” having spent nearly 20 years of “not thinking” about the death of his mother.

Harry told the Daily Telegraph that dealing with grief in the public eye had led to him coming “very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions”.

The image of William, 15, and a young Harry walking behind the horse-drawn gun carriage transporting their mother’s coffin through the streets of London on the day of her funeral has become etched in the public’s memory.

In an interview with Newsweek magazine, Harry voiced his disapproval of his role on the day.

Harry said: ‘’I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.’’

Diana, dubbed the People’s Princess for her caring, open approach, was known for her devotion to her sons.

Harry, who set up his charity Sentebale in her memory, has paid heartfelt tributes.

When he was 22 on the 10th anniversary of her death, he said in a speech: “She was quite simply the best mother in the world. We would say that, wouldn’t we? But we miss her.’’

He added: “We remember our mother as she would have wished to be remembered - as she was: fun-loving, generous, down-to-earth, entirely genuine.

‘’We both think of her every day. We speak about her and laugh together at all the memories. Put simply, she made us, and so many other people, happy.”