Why Prince Harry Was So Scared To Return To The UK
In the days leading up to the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, much of the world was fixated on how Prince Harry would interact with the rest of the royal family in the wake of his bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. As the Daily Mail reported, the Duke of Sussex opened up about the anxiety he experienced leading up to his grandfather's funeral in a joint interview alongside Winfrey, with whom he co-created the Apple TV+ mental health series, "The Me You Can't See."
"I was worried about it, I was afraid," Harry revealed to The Associated Press, adding that he was able to work through his anxieties using coping skills he had picked up while going to therapy. "It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds," the Duke added.
Per Bloomberg, Harry also disclosed that he first began seeing a therapist four years ago after his wife, Meghan Markle, encouraged him to do so following an argument during which she noticed that his anger appeared to be misplaced. Further commenting on the Apple TV+ series, Harry shared how "sharing your story" in regard to mental health and coping mechanisms "is absolutely critical" when it comes to helping others.
Prince Harry revealed the damaging coping mechanisms he adopted in his younger years
During an episode of "The Me You Can't See," Prince Harry revealed that he turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with his mental health struggles following the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who tragically died in a car accident in August 1997 when Harry was just 12 years old (via Independent).
"I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, I was willing to do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling." The Duke of Sussex said. "But I slowly became aware that, ok I wasn't drinking Monday to Friday but I would probably drink a week's worth in one day on a Friday or a Saturday night."
Speaking in the Apple TV+ series, the royal added that he later realized he wasn't drinking for enjoyment, but to "mask" something. "I was completely unaware of it," he added. As of publication, the palace hasn't commented on Harry's latest revelations.