Speaking during his groundbreaking TV interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry has revealed he felt "trapped within the system" of the Royal Family, and divulged how they cut him off financially when he left his royal duties.
After a harrowing chat between Oprah and Meghan Markle - in which she discussed feeling suicidal and alleged shocking royal concerns over their son Archie's race - the prince was asked whether he would have ever left his family and royal duties if it wasn't for his wife.
"The answer is no. I wouldn't have been able to," said Harry. "I was trapped but I didn't know I was trapped."
After being asked how he was trapped, Harry explained: "Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are.
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"My father, my brother they are trapped...They don't get to leave, and I have huge compassion for that."
The prince added that when he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties and moved to Canada, their security was taken away, and he was "cut off financially" in the first quarter of 2020 - though he still had money from Princess Diana.
"I've got what my mum left me. I think she saw this coming," he said, before going on to explain that the lack of financial support was why he accepted deals from Netflix and Spotify.
The prince also explained that the Royal Family's decision to cut off his security was due to their "change in status", also revealing that he "pushed back" and explained it was a risk for them to be left without support, given that everybody knew where his family were living.
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Prince Harry added that his family's move to California was made for their safety.
"It was desperate," says Harry. "I went to all the places which I thought I should go to to ask for help - we both did, separately and together."
"So you left because you were asking for help but couldn't get it?", Oprah asked.
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"Yeah, basically," said Harry.
"We never left the family," added Meghan, before the prince explained that they just needed to "take a breath" from the "constant barrage" they were facing.
The special also saw Prince Harry reveal where things sit with his family now.
"I've spoken more to my grandmother in the past year than I have for many many years. I have a deep respect for her," he said of The Queen.
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Harry revealed that his father, Prince Charles wouldn't even take his calls for a period of time, but is now speaking to him again.
"There's a lot to work through there. I feel really let down because he's been through something similar," he confessed. "Archie's his grandson. I will always love him, but there's a lot of hurt that's happened. I will continue to make it one of my priorities to heal that relationship."
Discussing his fraught relationship with his brother, Prince William, he said: "Much will continue to be said about that. As I've said before, I love William to bits - he's my brother and we've been through hell together and we have a shared experience but we're on different paths."
In the special, Oprah also spoke with Meghan about her marriage, motherhood and mental health. Plus, the couple revealed they were having a little girl.
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Elsewhere in the chat - which was pre-filmed - Prince Harry discussed his mother, Princess Diana.
On how she was treated after leaving the Royal Family, the Prince candidly said: "For me I'm just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side.
"Because I can't imagine what it must have been like for her going through this process by herself all those years ago, because it's been unbelievably tough for the two of us but at least we had each other."
The interview is currently being broadcast in the US on CBS, and is set to be shown here in the UK on Monday at 9pm on ITV.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their Royal duties last year.
In an official statement, the pair announced: "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.
"We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen."
Featured Image Credit: CBS/PATopics: TV News, TV Entertainment, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle