Diana remembered at 50, as mom

On her 50th birthday, honoring Princess Di's proudest achievement: motherhood

"She's always there," Prince William said in an interview with Matt Lauer, 10 years after his mother's tragic death. "She was massively strong and gave us both reservoirs of strength."

William was just 15 when Diana died in a car wreck at 36. If she were alive today, she would be celebrating her 50th birthday with William, his new wife Kate, and her second son Harry, just 12 when she passed away.

"It still upsets me now, the fact that we didn't have much of a chance as children to spend time with her," the young prince told Lauer in 2007. "The time we did spend with her was amazing."

In 1980, she was a Kindergarten teacher, beloved by her students. But in the months that followed, her engagement to Prince Charles prohibited her from pursing a career in teaching.

William was born in 1982 and by 1984 he had a brother named Harry.

Much of Diana's philanthropic efforts focused on the health and education of children.

"She didn't want praise for it," said William. "She did it because she cared. And it was a massive quality of hers which was why she became so big. She wanted to give so much love and give so much care to people who really needed it."

 "After our mother's death, there was so much of us being in the public," recalled Harry in the NBC interview. "And then seeing stuff on TV and reading stuff saying, 'Oh, they show no emotion,' that sort of stuff. You know, that's our public side. If we don't feel comfortable pouring our eyes out in front of thousands of people, then that's our problem. You know, we got each other to talk to."

They still do. Harry was William's best man at his wedding and continues to be his closest confidant, sharing each other's friends, triumphs, and milestones. Their friendship is one of the greatest gifts she gave them and part of the legacy she left behind.