Delivering a keynote speech in Australia this week during a charity tour, Prince Harry blindsided attendees by bringing up his late mother.
The 41-year-old royal attended the InterEdge Summit at the CENTREPIECE venue at Melbourne Park on Thursday (16 Apr), the third day of his trip, alongside his wife, Meghan Markle.
Organisers had previously confirmed that Harry would be providing the keynote address during the leadership conference, which was expected to focus on the importance of mental well-being within the workplace.
He began by noting there's a 'lot in the world right now leaving us feeling anxious, stressed, helpless, powerless and completely overwhelmed'.
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According to PA, however, not long after kicking off his 19-minute speech, Harry recalled feeling 'lost, betrayed' and 'completely powerless' at several points during his own life, especially following the passing of his mother, Princess Diana.
The late Princess of Wales died suddenly in August 1997, following a car accident in Paris, which also killed her rumoured partner, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. Harry was 12 at the time - his older brother, William, 15.
"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**t together," he told attendees. "Or as someone who, despite what it may look like, actually doesn’t have his s**t together.
"But I was struck by something quite simple - that while my experiences may be unusual, the feelings that come with them are not."
Reflecting on his own grief, the father-of-two continued: "In my experience, loss is disorienting at any age. 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."
Harry went on to confess: "There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed - 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."
In 2020, Harry and Meghan resigned from their royal responsibilities, citing severe mistreatment from a number of senior members of the monarchy. The pair also expressed concern for one another's safety, following several threats against Meghan, 44.
This decision, the Prince claimed this week, was partially spurred by the loss of his mother.
"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 admitted. "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."
Topics: Prince Harry, Royal Family, UK News, Princess Diana
Rhianna Benson