Trigger warning: This story touches on topics concerning mental health. If you, or someone you know, would like to have a free, confidential chat with someone they can trust, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website here.
With Prince Harry continuing to sit down for candid interviews, many royal observers have been speculating as to how the Queen is reacting to her rogue grandson, as well as questioning why – after claiming to have left the UK to escape the prying press – the Duke of Sussex keeps making headlines.
Latest on the list of baffled bystanders is the Today Show’s Allison Langdon, who raised these very queries live on air.
WATCH: Allison Langdon slams Prince Harry for hurting the Queen
Speaking with ITV’s royal editor Chris Ship during the morning show, Allison, 42, asked the expert why Prince Harry continues to engage in these tell-alls despite their potential repercussions.
“If Harry knows he is hurting his grandmother, why on earth does he keep giving these interviews?” Ally asked the editor.
Before Chris could answer, the perplexed host provided her own opinion – an opinion which is shared by many royal onlookers.
“He left the UK to get away from the press and all the scrutiny, yet he can’t help being the headline.” Allison said.
At this point, the editor jumped in, affirming Allison’s sentiment by stating, “Yeah, there are some people who are now accusing Harry of invading his own privacy”.
And Allison isn’t the only Today presenter to question Harry’s current media approach. The 42-year-old’s co-host Karl Stefanovic, 46, has also taken umbrage with the Duke on many occasions.
Most recently, Karl called out Harry for “whining” when he has lived a life of “privilege”.
“It’s just ridiculous how he keeps whining about his childhood,” the exasperated 46-year-old declared. “He grew up in privilege in a palace.”
Recently, Prince Harry sat down with his long-time pal Oprah Winfrey in an episode of the pair’s new mental health documentary. The Duke got extremely candid with the presenter, speaking about his former battle with drugs and alcohol.
Not shying away from his vulnerable side, Harry told Oprah that the most harrowing time of his life was when he was around 28 to 32, explaining he suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks which caused him to turn to alcohol as a crutch.
“I would just start sweating. I would feel as though my body temperature was two or three degrees warmer than everybody else in the room. I would convince myself that my face was bright red and therefore everybody could see how I was feeling, but no one would know why, so it was embarrassing,” the Duke candidly admitted.
“You get in your head about it and then you’re just like, ‘Everybody’s looking at me.’ One bead of sweat feels like the whole face is pouring down. Just sweating, and then just all in my head going, ‘This is so embarrassing. What are they thinking of me? They have no idea. I can’t tell them.'”
Prince Harry then confessed that his mental struggles led him to use alcohol as a “mask”, stating, “I was willing to drink. I was willing to take drugs. I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling.
“But I slowly became aware that okay I wasn’t drinking Monday to Friday, but I would probably drink a week’s worth in one day on a Friday or a Saturday night. And I would find myself drinking not because I was enjoying it but because I was trying to mask something.”
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