NEED TO KNOW
- Prince Harry spoke in Melbourne about not wanting to be a royal after losing his mother, Princess Diana.
- The Duke of Sussex was the keynote speaker at the InterEdge Summit, which focuses on creating mentally healthy, safe, and high-performing workplaces.
- His address took place on the third day of his Australian visit with Meghan Markle.
Prince Harry has opened up about his struggles with grief after the heartbreaking loss of his mother, Princess Diana, and how he initially “didn’t want” to have his royal title.
He made the candid admission at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne on April 16, during his visit to Australia with his wife, Meghan Markle.
Diana died in 1997, 15 days before his 13th birthday, in a tragic car accident that sent shockwaves around the world.
“When I was invited to speak at this summit, I wasn’t sure whether I was expected to speak as someone who, despite everything, has their s*** together,” he explained during his keynote address.
“Or as someone who, despite what it may look like, actually doesn’t have his s*** together.
“But I was struck by something quite simple — that while my experiences may be unusual, the feelings that come with them are not.”
As a young royal, feeling the loss of his mother as a child “under constant surveillance” was incredibly difficult.
“In my experience, loss is disorienting at any age,” the Duke of Sussex continued.
“Grief does not disappear because we ignore it. Experiencing that as a kid while in a goldfish bowl under constant surveillance, yes, that will have its challenges. And without purpose, it can break you.
“There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed,” he continued.
“Times when I’ve felt lost, betrayed, or completely powerless. Times when the pressure – externally and internally — felt constant. And times when, despite everything going on, I still had to show up pretending everything was okay, so as not to let anyone down.”
“For many years, I was numb to it, and perhaps that was easier then, but I also didn’t yet have the tools to deal with it.”
Following his 19-minute address, he told former politician Brendan Nelson that Diana’s death made him reluctant to pursue his royal duties.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role — wherever this is headed, I don’t like it,’ ” he confessed.
“It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years.
“Eventually I realised, well, hang on, if there was somebody else in this position, how would they be making the most of this platform and this ability and the resources that come with it to make a difference in the world?”
“And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective.”
