Prince Harry has revealed he regularly speaks to his late mother, Princess Diana, and studies a treasured photograph of her in the hope of feeling close to her almost three decades after her death.

The Duke of Sussex, 42, has opened up about his enduring grief in a new MasterClass programme, Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss, released ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

Harry, who was 12 when Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, joins neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor to discuss bereavement, emotional resilience and how his relationship with his mother's memory has changed since childhood.

The programme was filmed in California earlier this summer, away from his family home in Montecito.

Speaking about a portrait of Diana taken by French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier and published in Harper's Bazaar in December 1995, Harry said: "I can actually get eye contact from her, and there's a cheekiness in her smile... I just feel very connected to her."

He added: "I find myself looking at her and wondering, what is she thinking about what I am doing right now?"

Harry admitted that he sometimes returns to the photograph "to see if the facial expression changes, but it never does".

The portrait has become an important connection to Diana, whose death profoundly affected both Harry and his older brother, Prince William, 44.

Harry explained his relationship with photographs of his mother was very different during his childhood, when he struggled to confront the reality of losing her.

He said: "Even though I had photographs in my bedroom at school, I distinctly remember not thinking about my mother because thinking about something that sad was never gonna bring her back."

The prince described spending years suppressing his emotions because he believed that allowing himself to experience happiness would somehow diminish his love for Diana.

He said: "I'd spent so long emotionally numb, to a large extent, because I felt disloyal and guilty for the possibility of being happy and joyful without her."

He added: "I felt like I had to be sad and I had to be emotionally numb in order to prove to her that I missed her."

Harry said his outlook eventually changed when he came to believe that Diana would have wanted him to enjoy his life rather than remain consumed by grief.

He explained: "The reality is, what I discovered was actually that she just wanted me to be happy. And that was a huge mental shift for me. It freed me, and it gave me a whole different outlook on life."

The duke revealed thoughts of Diana remain part of his daily routine, saying he remembers her "pretty much every night and most mornings".

During difficult periods, he sometimes addresses her directly.

Harry said: "I do find when the times are tough, I'm like, 'Hi, I need some help here. Guide me in the right way'."

Harry also described occasions when he believes he has sensed Diana's presence during significant moments in his life, particularly over the past six years.

He said: "A lot has happened in my life in the last six years, and she has turned up at moments where it makes complete sense that she turned up in those moments."

He added: "It just makes me laugh out loud sometimes because it's like, this is not a coincidence. There is no version of where this is anything else but you."

Harry explained: "I feel it as an energy. And also it's visual. It's a sign. And it's very much connected to her."

His latest disclosures come during another significant period of change for the Sussexes, following their return to Britain in August with Meghan Markle, 45, and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.

The family returned after six years based primarily in California, although they are retaining their Montecito property.

Their move has prompted renewed scrutiny of their relationship with the monarchy and the arrangements governing their public activities.

In September, King Charles III, 77, reaffirmed that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the royal family, despite their relocation.

A letter issued through the Lord Chamberlain clarified their charitable and commercial activities continue to be undertaken privately and that their royal status has not changed.

The couple are also undergoing a fresh review of their publicly funded security arrangements following their return, with the Royal and VIP Executive Committee reconsidering their protection requirements.

Harry's new programme follows previous public discussions of his mental health in his bestselling memoir Spare and the Apple TV+ documentary series The Me You Can't See, which he developed with Oprah Winfrey, 72.

In the MasterClass, he also discusses how military service and years of suppressing his emotions affected his ability to process Diana's death.

He reveals he experienced panic attacks during royal engagements and describes a period of depression following his departure from royal duties and relocation to Canada.

Harry has continued to pursue charitable causes associated with Diana's legacy, particularly supporting people affected by HIV/AIDS, disadvantaged children and vulnerable communities.

His work with military veterans through the Invictus Games has also become a central part of his public life.