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27th Feb 2021

Prince Harry: ‘British press were destroying my mental health’

In an interview with James Corden, Prince Harry said the treatment he and Meghan Markle received from the British press was 'destroying his mental health'

Reuben Pinder

Prince Harry spoke candidly in an interview with James Corden

Stories published about Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were “destroying their mental health”, the Prince has said.

In a candid interview with James Corden broadcast on the Late Late Show in the United States, Harry discussed the treatment he and Meghan received from the papers, after recently confirming that he and Meghan would not be returning to life as senior royals.

“My life is always going to be about public service and Meghan signed up to that,” Harry said. “And the two of us enjoy doing that, trying to bring some compassion and make people happy, trying to change the world in any small way that we can.”

Corden then asked Harry why he and Meghan felt it was necessary to walk away from royal life, describing it as a “monumental decision.”

“It was never walking away,” Harry said.

“It was stepping back rather than stepping down.

“It was a really difficult environment, as I think a lot of people saw.

“We all know what the British press can be like, and it was destroying my mental health.

“I was like, ‘This is toxic.’

“So I did what any husband, what any father would do. I was like, ‘I need to get my family out of here.’

“But we never walked away.”

Harry went on to say “whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away.

“I will always be contributing, but my life is public service, so wherever I am in the world, it’s going to be the same thing.”