‘Fills My Heart’: Prince Harry Opens Up About Fatherhood and Watching Archie and Lilibet Grow
Prince Harry reveals his emotional reaction to a photo of Archie and Lilibet, sharing why seeing his children together means so much to him.
Prince Harry does not shy away from expressing his emotions on camera, especially when it comes to his two children. In a recent interview, the Duke of Sussex opened up about a personal moment that revealed just how much Archie and Lilibet mean to him.
During his conversation with American neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor in his MasterClass titled Redefining Grief, the 42-year-old royal became emotional while looking at a picture of Archie and Lilibet. Meghan Markle had shared the image on Instagram in May to mark Archie turning seven, capturing the young siblings exploring the shore barefoot.
According to the Daily Mail, Harry explained that he had captured the moment shortly before Archie’s birthday, adding that seeing his children enjoy each other’s company in the natural surroundings meant a great deal to him. “Watching the two of them, brother and sister, at peace with each other in nature fills my heart,” he said. The Duke also shared how happy he was to see them growing up into “healthy, beautiful, amusing [and] very funny kids.”
“Becoming a father is an emotional rollercoaster. I wish I'd known how hard being a father was going to be. But I wouldn't change it for the world,” he said. The Duke added, “Looking back on his journey, he said the parenting advice he wishes he could give himself would be to ‘hold on tight, because it's going to be one hell of a ride.’”
Harry also spoke about the difficult period following Megxit, revealing that he felt depressed and “useless” after stepping away from royal life. He added that he now makes sure not to spend more than ten days away from Markle and their children.
Looking back on his time in the Royal Family, the Duke admitted he struggled to properly grieve the death of his mother, Princess Diana. He also revealed that carrying out official duties sometimes triggered panic attacks, explaining that even getting dressed for royal engagements could be difficult, as wearing a shirt and tie often left him feeling as though he was being strangled or suffocated. He revealed, “You would think I had the best help in the world. I'm a prince, for God's sake, but I was still grieving and didn't have any place to put those feelings.”
