A pain that lasts A LIFETIME

For Catherine Jones, 41, losing her mum at a young age, like Prince Harry, was a pivotal moment in her life

- By Catherine Jones

Whenever Prince Harry speaks out about how isolating and overwhelming it was to lose his mum so young, my heart goes out to him, because I know what he's been through, and what he's still living with. That trauma leaves an indelible mark that affects everything - the way you view the world, your career path, your friendships and relationships, and parenting.

I was 11 when my mum Susan, 38, unexpectedly died from an asthma attack in 1995. She had a severe form of asthma that often left her hospitalised. It even caused a stroke that paralysed one side of her body, and she had to learn to walk again. My childhood was turbulent and, like Prince Harry's, further complicated when my parents separated.

My mum's illness made parenting hard, so while my younger brother lived with her, my sister and I lived with our dad. Like Prince Harry, my last interaction with Mum was on the phone. Like him, I can't remember the conversation, but had I known it would be our last, I would have asked Mum questions which will now never be answered. I'd have told her I loved her.

It was 21 June 1995 when I was shaken awake by my dad, his voice breaking as he told me my mum had died. My sister, then 14, and me, bleary-eyed and dressed in our nighties, sat together on the stairs with our dad, cuddling and crying. My brother, just four, was tucked up in bed. Mum had been in hospital with another asthma attack, but we never imagined she would die. She was in so often, and always bounced back. I was in complete shock.