William 'Looked Up To Queen' After Diana Died

Ahead of her 90th birthday, Prince William tells Sky News his grandmother is a "strong female influence" who is "very supportive".

06:38, UK, Wednesday 20 April 2016

Video: William On The Queen At 90

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By Rhiannon Mills, Royal Correspondent

Prince William has spoken of the incredible support he received from the Queen in the years following the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

Speaking to Sky News as the family prepares to celebrate Her Majesty's 90th birthday, the Duke of Cambridge said his grandmother had been a "strong female influence" to him - especially during his teenage years.
"Having lost my mother at a very young age, it has been particularly important for me that I had somebody like the Queen to look up to and who has been there and has understood some of the more complex issues when you lose a loved one," he said.
Prince William was 15 when his mother was killed in a car crash in Paris - and following her death in 1997, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were heavily criticised for staying in Balmoral with William and Harry rather than immediately returning to Buckingham Palace.
It is an aspect of his relationship with his grandmother that he has rarely spoken about publicly.

Video: William On Being Told Off By Queen

Asked if he had any particularly fond childhood memories of the Queen, Prince William recalled a time when she gave him and his cousin a severe telling off.
He explained: "(We) were on a quad bike in Balmoral and we were chasing Zara around who was on a go-cart. Peter and I managed to herd Zara into a lamppost and the lamppost came down and nearly squashed her.
"I remember my grandmother being the first person out and running across the lawn in her kilt. She came charging over and gave us the most almighty b*****king.

Video: The Queen: 90 Years In 90 Seconds

"That sort of stuck in my mind from that moment on that I really should be a little bit more careful about what I'm doing and try not to kill my cousins."
Despite recent criticism in the newspapers for trying to balance his royal duties, family life and his job as an air ambulance pilot, he insists he has his grandmother's backing.
"Surprisingly, she is very supportive of what I'm doing at the moment - she understands that I'm a family man and I want to be around for my children as much as I can," he said.

Video: Royal Fans Await Queen's Birthday

"She's very much at the helm, the Queen, she's incredibly active and her schedule's packed. My father is very active, charitably and otherwise - and there's me, Harry, Catherine and everyone else so there's a time and a place for taking on more and more responsibilities."
The Duke of Cambridge added he is looking forward to stepping up his royal duties in the future, but for now is concentrating on his children and his "incredibly worthwhile and meaningful job" serving the community with the air ambulance service.
Prince William said these commitments, combined with serving the Queen as and when required, was a "good balance".

Video: The Queen At 90: Tonight At 9pm

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will carry out public engagements today in Windsor ahead of her actual birthday tomorrow. Her official birthday will be celebrated in June.
:: A special programme, The Queen At 90, is on Sky News at 9pm tonight - with live coverage throughout Thursday.