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Prince Harry “reembraced” his royal identity to land Hollywood deals, according to a royals expert.
After a keynote appearance at the InterEdge Summit on Thursday, Harry explained to Australian former politician Brendan Nelson that he didn’t want to be a working royal after the death of his mother, Princess Diana.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role — wherever this is headed, I don’t like it.’ It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years,” Harry said, according to People. “Eventually I realized, 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?”
Prince Harry has “reembraced” his royal status to maintain Hollywood deals, according to an expert. (Alastair Grant/AP Photo)
Harry continued, “And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective.”
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Also on Thursday, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, attended the Swinburne University of Technology on the third day of their Australia trip and discussed mental health and social media with young people.
While visiting the institution, Markle claimed she was “bullied and attacked” every day for 10 years online and was even the “most trolled person in the entire world,” according to People.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role — wherever this is headed, I don’t like it.’ It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years.”
Harry chimed in and said that social media has “led to so much loneliness for so many people.” He said that he has only felt better since attending therapy.
“I waited until I was literally in the fetal position, much older, lying on the kitchen floor. Until I was like, okay, maybe this therapy thing — maybe I should try it,” Harry said.
Prince Harry delivered the keynote speech at the InterEdge Summit in Australia on April 16. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
Helena Chard, a British royal expert, told Fox News Digital that Harry wanted out of the royal life when his mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997.
“When Diana died, 12-year-old Harry wanted out of royal life. The grief, the goldfish bowl, the cameras at every turn. It was overwhelming and just too much for him. Royal life felt like surveillance, not family,” Chard said. She explained that he’s had to maintain his royal status to land deals in Hollywood.
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“In Hollywood, his currency was his royal title. The deals hinged on the British royal family and his Prince Harry title. As Harry alone, he can’t clinch the deals. He traded palace scrutiny for Hollywood scrutiny but without institutional protection.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on April 16 in Australia. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
“He has made it more than clear, he didn’t and isn’t returning to royal duty. He returned to royal identity as without it, he can’t continue media deals and commercial ventures. He rejected the Crown to heal, then reembraced it to be heard only with the goldfish bowl becoming the stage,” she continued.
Ian Pelham Turner, a British royal expert, said it makes sense that Harry has been so open about his emotions and how he feels about the royal family.
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“Harry as it is obvious to royal experts is a much more open and emotional man compared to other members of the royal family which is why he shares this value with Diana and his outspoken nature from his grandfather, Prince Philip who he totally admired,” Turner said.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Australia to spread awareness for young people’s mental health and social media. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
He continued, “In the day of Diana’s funeral when they had to walk behind the coffin when Philip going through an archway thinking he could not be seen by the cameras put his arm around the 13-year-old Harry and asked him if he was ok.”
Turner even noted that Harry’s angst against the public eye was evident during his teenage years.
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“As a teenager, Harry especially hated the media and on occasions lashed out at them, blaming them for his mother’s death and wishing he could be a normal person, not royal and that he could be hunted down every day by paparazzi,” he said.
Prince Harry is seen after laying a wreath at the Last Post Ceremony during a visit to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on April 15. (Jonathan Brady / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Amanda Matta, a royal commentator, told Fox News Digital that it is clear to her that Harry believes the monarchy failed him.
“I think reading between the lines, it becomes clear that Harry believes the royal system failed him on a personal level. Being thrust into the role of ‘Prince’ from birth left him alienated from his own future as much as the death of his mother did,” she began.
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“Since stepping back from royal duties, he’s consistently positioned himself as someone who has had to ‘redefine purpose’ outside the structure he was born into,” Matta continued. “He might be discussing workplace mental health and personal resilience more broadly in other parts of the summit remarks, but here, he’s also pointing to the institution prioritizing duty, optics, and continuity over everything else.”
Meghan Markle said she endured bullying online for a decade. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
Matta also agreed with Markle’s statement about being ridiculed online for a decade.
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“She’s absolutely correct; the trolling and harassment has been relentless since day one of her relationship with Harry. In some corners of the internet, it’s become like a game or pastime to people,” she said.
“I was heartened to see how Meghan is able to speak about that experience now, but even the reaction to her making these remarks has been derisive and cruel in some spaces. I’m afraid it is just Meghan’s ‘normal’ mode of being a public figure now,” Matta concluded.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped away from royal duties in 2020. (Chris Jackson)
Chard, however, did not agree with Markle’s remarks about being bullied and said, “Typical… Harry and Meghan visit a youth mental health group in between their commercial work and Meghan uses the visit as a platform to talk about herself yet again.”
“She claims she was the most trolled person in the entire world… This is nonsense. How can she quantify this? Lots of people are trolled. Again, it highlights just how she/they perpetuate the drama and continuously torch trust,” Chard continued.
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