Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is the second son of the current king, King Charles III, and Princess Diana. He was born on September 15, 1984, and is fifth in the line of succession to the throne as of 2023. He was brought up in Kensington Palace along with his brother William. Their mother, Princess Diana ensured that the brothers were raised in as normal conditions as possible and have wider-ranging experiences than other royals. Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced in 1996.
A year later, his mother Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris when Harry was just 12. Both his parents’ divorce and the subsequent death of his mother deeply impacted his childhood and teen years. He also revealed how the trauma from his childhood has affected him in his adult years. Hence, he wants to ensure that his kids are brought up in a completely different way as compared to his upbringing. Read on to find out what he said.
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Prince Harry’s Thoughts On His Kids’ Upbringing
In a recent discussion with a trauma expert, Prince Harry discussed how King Charles’s parenting style resulted in mental trauma and mental health struggles in him. Harry also emphasized how the lack of hugs and affection from his father while growing up was ‘a mistake’. The prince also mentioned how he would not like to make the same mistake with his two kids.
Harry said that if he were to make the same mistake, Archie and Lilibet would have similar struggles in their life. “I feel a huge responsibility not to pass on any trauma or negative experiences that I’ve had as a kid or as a man growing up. There are times when I catch myself when I should be smothering them with that love but I might not be.”
The duke also added, “We only know what we know, and for myself and my wife, we do the best we can as parents – learning from our own past and overlapping those mistakes, perhaps, and growing to break that cycle.” The couple wants to stop the generational trauma to end with them.
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The Duke’s Struggles With Mental Health
Prince Harry has been very vocal about his struggles with mental health since he and his wife relinquished their roles as working royals and moved across the Atlantic. His mother’s death left him shattered and he underwent counseling with his brother’s support many years later to process the trauma. He said, “It’s all about timing. And for me personally, my brother, you know, bless him, he was a huge support to me. He kept saying this is not right, this is not normal, you need to talk to [someone] about stuff, it’s OK”.
The duke has also been open about his struggle with anxiety and aggression. He felt as if he was “very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions” while on royal engagements. He also revealed how he tried many experimental drugs like psychedelics, mushrooms, and cocaine to cope with anxiety and stress but didn’t feel calm even after using them. Since then he has maintained that he underwent four years of therapy to process his trauma and to become a better person for his family.
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