Diana memory a 'cottage industry'

The admission came in a candid and in-depth interview the young royal and his brother have given to an American television network broadcast on Tuesday.

In the wide ranging discussion, the siblings described how they were frequently an emotional support for Diana when she was upset, how they have missed out on growing up with their mother around them, and, after the Princess' death in 1997, how they supported each other.

The Princes also described how the image portrayed of them in the media is different to reality and fame is something, according to Harry, they do not really want.

William, 24, an army officer in the Blues and Royals like his 22-year-old brother, also revealed how he would want to be deployed to a conflict zone - a comment made before it was announced Harry would not be sent to Iraq.

In the interview, held at their London residence Clarence House in April with NBC broadcaster Matt Lauer, the brothers look relaxed and frequently joke at the expense of the other.

After commentary from the programme described how people close to Diana have published "tell-all" books, William told the interviewer from the show Dateline: "There's always people out there who want to make money. And that's, you know, their certain choice and method is to do it this way."

Asked by the interviewer "So it's become a cottage industry," William replied "yes".

The brothers have been busy organising a tribute concert and memorial to their mother which will be staged this summer.

Talking about what he hoped people would take from the show William said: "There'll be people there who are coming because it's a concert and not because of her. But I genuinely believe that there'll be lots of people there who have come for her."