Harry's Heartache: Royal Role Harmful to Mom

Prince Harry issued a stark declaration today, stating he never wished to serve as a working royal because the position ultimately harmed his mother. This emotional admission emerged on the third day of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Australian tour. Speaking at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne Park, an event where tickets were priced at $1,000-a-head, though some reports specified $997 per ticket, Harry described feeling "lost, betrayed, or completely powerless" throughout his life.

The Duke explained that he had kept his "head in the sand for years and years" before resigning his role and moving to the United States with Meghan. He suggested this decision aligned with what his mother, Princess Diana, would have wanted. "After my mum died just before my 13th birthday, I was like: 'I don't want this job. I don't want this role wherever this is headed, I don't like it,'" Harry recounted. He added, "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."

Earlier that day, the couple engaged with students at Melbourne's Swinburne University of Technology regarding the perils of social media and its impact on mental health. Meghan urged the audience to be "strong," noting she could speak to the issue personally. "And I can speak to that really personally, which is why I like to listen, because it rings true for me in a very real way," she said. She continued, "For now, ten years, every day for ten years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world." She concluded, "I'm still here."

The Duchess hugged a young mental health advocate during the event. Tensions were briefly visible earlier when Harry appeared annoyed as a reporter asked for a selfie on Melbourne's Scar Tree Walk, effectively blocking Meghan's path. The couple had been attending an event honoring Aboriginal culture before the incident. During the university discussion, Harry commended Australia's ban on under-16s using social media, describing it as "epic" from a "responsibility and leadership standpoint."

Later, addressing the Centrepiece conference venue, Harry discussed "leadership, psychosocial safety and human connection in the workplace" while Meghan watched from the audience. He told those present that there was a "lot in the world right now leaving us feeling anxious, stressed, helpless, powerless and completely overwhelmed." "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. Or as someone who, despite what it may look like, actually doesn't have his s*** together," he explained. He concluded by reflecting on grief: "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.

In a candid and urgent disclosure regarding the pressures of public service, Harry addressed the heavy toll it can take on an individual's mental well-being.

'And without purpose, it can break you.'

Harry continued: '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 ok, 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.'

The Duke noted that the arrival of his children fundamentally altered his perspective on resilience. He explained that becoming a father changed his approach because you 'start to notice the ripple effect more clearly'.

He added: 'When a parent is overwhelmed, children feel it. When someone is supported, families feel it. 'For me, one of the biggest shifts came when I realised that asking for help isn't a weakness.