Prince Harry reflects on the emotional toll of royal life and his fears for their safety, paralleling experiences with his mother, Princess Diana.

Prince Harry has made it abundantly clear that his big American dream is far from over. Amid speculations surrounding his return to the UK and hopes of family reconciliation, the Duke of Sussex, In a recent interview revealed that he and his family have no intentions of returning to London. Contrary to the popular belief that Meghan is the reason behind this decision, the estranged royal shared that the peace and privacy he finds in the U.S. align with the life his late mother, Princess Diana, would have hoped for him.

NYT Columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, speak during the New York Times annual DealBook summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images via AFP)

Prince Harry says he will never ‘leave’ US

Harry and Meghan have called California home since 2021, and while the Duke’s visa situation has been under constant scrutiny due to his past drug use admission, it seems he’s ready to face any challenges head-on—without giving up his life in America. During a conversation with Andrew Sorkin at The New York Times Dealbook Summit on Wednesday, Harry was asked if he planned to stay in the U.S. permanently. His answer was clear: “I do,” he said. “I really enjoy living here and raising my kids here.”

Citing his Montecito low-key life free of Royal responsibilities, he added, that it feels “as though it’s the life my mum wanted for me.” As shown in their Netflix documentary, both Harry and Meghan faced a tough time due to the paparazzi chasing them around and being under constant scrutiny, something that Diana also dealt with.

He shared that in the US, he, his wife Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, enjoy a level of privacy and the freedom to engage in activities they “certainly couldn’t do in the UK” due to security issues. Harry took legal action against the Home Office after a decision in February 2020, which stated that he should receive a different level of taxpayer-funded protection when in the UK.

As of now, the Duke revealed he is super focused on, being the best husband and the best dad that I can be”.

Harry reflects on mental health and fear for family

Later on, Prince Harry discussed the emotional toll of royal life and the lasting impact of his mother’s tragic death, revealing his concerns for his wife and kids’ safety if they don’t get royal protection in their hometown. “I think again, when you are kind of trapped within this bubble, it kind of feels like there’s no way out,” Harry said. “What happened to my mom and the fact that I was a kid and felt helpless, there comes the inner turmoil. I felt helpless. “One of my biggest weaknesses is feeling helpless.”

The duke expressed his concern for the safety of his family, fearing that the same fate that befell his mother, Princess Diana, could happen to him, Meghan, or their children. He recalled the tragic events of 1997 when paparazzi chased his mother’s car in Paris, ultimately leading to her death.