Meghan Markle paid an emotional tribute to Prince Harry on his 42nd birthday on Tuesday, sharing a video set to a song with a poignant connection to his late mother, Princess Diana.
The Duchess of Sussex chose an alternative version of Tina Turner’s iconic hit The Bestas the soundtrack to the montage – a track that holds a special place in Harry’s childhood memories.
The song carries a deeply personal connection for both Harry and his brother Prince William.
Speaking on a special episode of Apple Fitness+ series, Time To Walk, back in 2021, Prince William famously revealed that Princess Diana would play the anthem in the car to ease her young sons’ anxiety as they were driven back to boarding school.
A comforting childhood memory for Prince William and Prince Harry
“When I was younger, Harry and I, we were at boarding school. And my mother used to play all sorts of songs to kind of while away the anxiety of going back to school,” William recalled.
“And one of the songs I massively remember and has stuck with me all this time, and I still, to this day, still quite enjoy secretly, is Tina Turner’s The Best because sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment.”
He added: “And my mother, she’d be driving along, singing at the top of her voice. And we’d even get the policeman in the car; he’d be occasionally singing along, as well.
“You’d be singing and listening to the music right the way out into the gates of school, when they dropped you off. And, and that’s when reality kind of sunk in that you really were going back to school because before that, you’re lost in songs. You’ll want to play it again just to keep that family moment going.
“And when I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother.”
A thoughtful nod to Princess Diana
On Tuesday morning, Meghan posted a birthday message for Harry on Instagram as he turned 42, with a number of pictures of the family. The caption said: “He’s simply the best. Happy birthday, my love.”
The sweet tribute was accompanied by a rendition of the iconic tune by The Hound + The Fox, a husband-wife duo from Oregon.
Late singer Bonnie Tyler originally recorded The Best in 1988 before Tina Turner made the song a massive global hit when she covered it in 1989 for her album Foreign Affair.
