Prince Harry says he doesn’t see himself as a ‘victim’

Royal family

By Nicki Gostin

March 4, 2023 | 3:23 p.m.

Prince Harry does not feel sorry for himself.

“I certainly don’t see myself as a victim,” the Duke of Sussex, 38, said in an online chat with Dr Gabor Maté on Saturday to discuss his recently published memoir, ‘Spare’.

Harry added, indeed, that by writing his book, he feels he is doing a public service.

“I am truly grateful to be able to share my story in the hope that it will help, empower, encourage others and hopefully allow people to understand – again to the human experience – (that) we are in shape and form all connected, especially through trauma,” the Californian royal told the Hungarian-Canadian doctor.

Harry said that when he first embarked on writing his memoir, he told his editing team he wanted it to be “an act of service”.

“I know how important it is to share these stories; how you can save a life and improve lives because you are almost giving people permission to talk about their own stuff and be themselves,” he added.

Despite what ‘South Park’ might think, the Duke claimed he never sought sympathy from others, noting, “I don’t and never have sought sympathy in this regard.”

Harry said that because of his life experiences – throughout his childhood, his 38 years of life and the work he did around mental health – he felt his story “will help someone one or some people there”.

The British prince also pointed out that while he may have “lost a lot” leaving the royal alongside his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020, at the same time he had “gained a lot”.

“To see my children grow up here, the way they are, I just can’t imagine how it would have been possible in this environment,” Harry said.

“From what I understand, you can do your best every day not to pass on the traumas you have as a parent, but if you’re still stuck in the same environment, it seems a bit self-defeating.”

The 90 Minutes interview delved into Harry’s past experience with therapy, and he admitted he was reluctant to unpack the trauma surrounding the death of his mother, Princess Diana, at the age of 12.

The father-of-two has revealed he thought going to see a therapist would cause him to lose everything ‘left’ of his mother, but he was relieved to find that wasn’t true.

“Turns out it wasn’t – it was the opposite,” Harry explained, adding that he learned that Diana “wanted me to be happy and that was a huge weight on my chest. “.