At an Australia charity event on April 16, Prince Harry gave a keynote address that included his feelings about his mother’s death. While discussing mental health and his grief, the Duke of Sussex admitted to often feeling “overwhelmed.”
His mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a Paris car crash in August 1997 while fleeing paparazzi. At the time, Harry was about to turn 13.
The Duke of Sussex spoke of how his perspective eventually changed
During his address, the prince spoke about his complex role as a royal. “Times when I’ve felt lost, betrayed or completely powerless. Times when the pressure — externally and internally — felt constant,” he said, per PA Media. “And times when, despite everything going on, I still had to show up pretending everything was OK, so as not to let anyone down.”
According to Us Weekly, Prince Harry spoke with businessman and former politician Brendan Nelson after his speech, noting his disdain for his royal role. “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 said. “It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years.”
He then thought about what his mother would want him to do. “Eventually I realized, ‘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?’” he said. “And that really changed my own perspective.”
The prince has been open about his mental health and struggles with his mother’s passing. At one point, he believed she faked her death and would reappear to repair his relationship with brother Prince William. “For a long time, I just refused to accept that she was gone,” he said during a 2023 60 Minutes interview. “You know, she would never do this to us, but also, maybe this is all part of a plan.”
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