Prince Harry and William’s former bodyguard Graham Craker dies at 77

Prince Harry and William's former bodyguard, Graham Craker, has died at the age of 77.

The palace staffer, who flanked the brothers as their personal protection officer when their mother, Princess Diana, died at the age of 36 in August 1997, was lovingly referred to as "Crackers" by the brothers at the time.

The New York Post has reported that his cause of death remains unknown at the time of writing. Cracker walked beside William and Harry, aged 15 and 12 at the time, behind their mother's hearse as it traversed down from St. James’s Palace to Westminster Abbey. He then accompanied them down to Althorp House, where she grew up and was laid to rest.

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Graham Craker's life and legacy explored:

In his January 2023 memoir, Spare, Prince Harry recalled Graham Craker supporting them after their mother's car crash in Paris.

“The driver had to keep pulling over so the bodyguard could get out and clear the flowers off the windscreen,” the Duke of Sussex, 40, penned. “The bodyguard was Graham. Willy and I liked him a lot. We always called him Crackers. We thought that was hysterical.”

Graham Craker also accompanied the late princess during one of the family trips to the Alton Towers theme park in England in 1994, The New York Post has published.

The former bodyguard retired in 2001, after having served for 35 years in the U.K.'s Metropolitan Police. He served as the bodyguard for the royal family for a decade and a half. Back in 2017, he spoke to the New York Post about his role in the documentary Diana: 7 Days That Shook the Windsors that came out that year:

Diana's death was "Difficult to take in. It takes a while to absorb and then you feel the need to make sure what you’re hearing is true — and that didn’t take long to establish. From there on, it’s the policeman’s instinct to assess the situation and carry on."

Reflecting on the moment the family learned the princess had died, Graham Craker said he wasn't fully able to comfort William and Harry.

"That was obviously the duty of the parents, family and everybody else they thought could help. When we did meet, it was quite a somber atmosphere," he said. "Perhaps the most emotional [part of the week following Diana's death] was seeing William the morning after [the car crash]. I saw William walking his dog outside, and I walked up to him and said, 'I’m very, very sorry to hear your bad news.' William very sadly said, 'Thank you.' Not wishing to encroach upon his grief, I then walked on and William continued walking his dog," the New York Post reported.

He also shared his experience of traveling in the hearse alongside Diana's coffin:

"I was standing at the rear of the hearse and William looked up and acknowledged me. I looked toward him and nodded. William was comforted that I was with his mum on her final journey. "

In his later years, Graham Craker spent his days working with local organizations like the Southern Maltings Art Center located in Ware, East Hertfordshire. In the wake of his demise, the charity took to Facebook to pen a tribute, writing,

"While to the most important people in his life Graham was a father, and grandfather, to us he was a valued friend and colleague."

"From a career in the police, as a member of the protection squad, a huge driving force in the rotary and eventually a key volunteer at the Southern Maltings, so many people are going to miss our very own James Bond," the caption continued. "Our broken hearts go out to his family and everyone who knew him," the April 3 post concluded. "RIP Crackers, we’ll make sure you are remembered behind the bar and will raise a glass for you this evening."

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As reported by The Telegraph, Graham Craker was made a member of the Royal Victorian Order by the late Queen Elizabeth for his services rendered for the royal family.