Prince Harry opens up about depression after leaving the UK
«I couldn’t function without adrenaline»
Prince Harry has spoken candidly about the psychological struggles he faced after moving from the United Kingdom to North America in 2020.
According to the 42-year-old Duke of Sussex, he experienced depression after stepping back from his royal duties and relocating with Meghan Markle. Harry discussed the experience on the «MasterClass» podcast, as reported by the BBC.
He explained that he and Meghan had decided to leave the UK in search of greater freedom. However, after moving to Canada and leaving behind the familiar pressures of their previous life, he unexpectedly experienced a dramatic drop in energy.
«In Canada, away from the stressful environment where my body was probably flooded with adrenaline, I felt that adrenaline suddenly drop after two or three days. It was as though I needed the stress to trigger an adrenaline rush and keep my brain functioning, because back home I was no use to anyone», the prince recalled.
According to Harry, the feeling lasted for around two weeks. «I went into a depression and felt that I couldn’t function without adrenaline», the Duke of Sussex admitted.
Harry also revealed that he had suffered from panic attacks for years, triggered by public appearances as part of his official royal duties.
«There was a period when public speaking caused me to experience complete panic. It would start when I put on my suit, jacket and tie and suddenly felt as though I couldn’t breathe. The panic would hit me on the way from point A to point B, when I stepped out of the car with all those cameras and flashes pointed at me», he explained.
Another source of anxiety for Harry was the possibility that people around him would notice his distress. He was particularly afraid of sweating because he did not know how to explain what was happening to him.
«I was afraid people would see me struggling and that I wouldn’t be able to explain what I was feeling. It felt as though I had just come out of a boxing match», the prince recalled.
During the conversation, the Duke of Sussex also revisited one of the most painful events of his life — the death of his mother, Princess Diana. She died in a car crash in 1997, when Harry was just 12 years old.
As an adult, the prince tried to cope with his loss, including through his military service in Afghanistan. However, the experience did not help him escape his own emotions.
«When I was in my early 20s, I went to war twice, thinking I could escape my feelings. But I couldn’t», Harry emphasized.
He admitted that he had spent a long time in a state of emotional numbness. The prince felt guilty about being able to enjoy life without his mother and believed he had to remain sad to prove how deeply he missed her.
Harry also revealed that he did not cry for nearly two decades after Diana’s funeral.
At the end of August, after six years of living in the United States, the couple unexpectedly returned to England with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Shortly afterward, however, King Charles III released a letter clarifying the removal of the couple’s royal privileges.
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