Prince Harry is opening up about a difficult period in his life, revealing that he experienced depression for about two weeks after moving to Canada with Meghan Markle and their son, Prince Archie, in 2019.
During a conversation for MasterClass’s Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss, the Duke of Sussex reflected on the emotional impact of leaving the stressful environment surrounding royal life. He explained that once he stepped away from the pressure, he experienced what he described as an unexpected “adrenaline crash.”
Harry said the change affected his ability to manage everyday tasks and forced him to think more deeply about his mental health. He also discussed the lasting grief he experienced after his mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997.
His reflections offer a personal look at the emotional challenges he faced during a major transition in his life.
Prince Harry Says He Experienced Depression After the Canada Move
Harry recalled that he and Meghan moved to Canada to gain some distance from the pressures they had been experiencing. The family wanted space to think and adjust while considering what their future would look like outside the traditional structure of royal life.
However, the quieter environment brought an unexpected emotional response.
Harry explained that within two or three days of arriving, he experienced a sudden drop in adrenaline. He said he had become so accustomed to stress that functioning without it initially felt difficult.
“I actually slipped into depression for about two weeks,” Harry said during the conversation.
He also recalled feeling as though he could not function without adrenaline. His comments highlighted how a person can struggle when a long period of stress suddenly gives way to a different pace of life.
The experience became an important moment in his understanding of his emotional well-being.
Why Prince Harry Felt He Needed Adrenaline
During the interview, Harry reflected on how stress had affected his behavior over the years. He suggested that being in demanding situations had become a familiar state, making it difficult to recognize what he was experiencing emotionally.
He said that after leaving the stressful environment in Britain, ordinary activities around the house felt harder than expected.
Harry also connected his experiences with the period following his military service. He served in the British Army for 10 years, including deployments to Afghanistan, and later reflected on how intense experiences can affect a person long after the immediate circumstances have passed.
He explained that some of the reactions he associated with post-traumatic stress appeared to connect with earlier emotional trauma.
His comments emphasized that mental health struggles do not always have one simple cause. For Harry, understanding his reactions meant looking at different experiences across his life rather than focusing on a single event.
Prince Harry Opens Up About Losing Princess Diana
One of the most emotional parts of Harry’s account concerned the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in August 1997. Harry was just 12 years old at the time.
He described spending years feeling emotionally numb and struggling with the idea that experiencing happiness might somehow mean he was being disloyal to his mother.
Harry explained that he had felt pressure to remain sad as a way of demonstrating how much he missed her. He also spoke about how difficult it was to process grief when he was young.
Over time, his understanding began to change. He came to recognize that remembering someone does not require a person to remain unhappy.
Harry said that realizing his mother would have wanted him to be happy brought a major shift in his perspective.
His reflections underline how grief can evolve over time and how people may need years to understand the emotions surrounding a significant loss.
How Meghan Markle and Archie Fit Into the Story
Meghan Markle and their son Archie were with Harry when the family temporarily relocated to Canada in late 2019.
The move came during a period of major change for the couple. In January 2020, they announced that they intended to step back from their roles as senior working members of the British royal family.
They later moved to California, where they established a home in Montecito and continued building independent professional projects.
Harry’s latest comments focused primarily on his own mental health, rather than suggesting that Meghan or Archie caused his difficulties. He described the move as an attempt to find space away from the pressures surrounding the family.
The experience also took place during a period when Harry was rethinking his identity, responsibilities, and future. His reflections show how a major life change can bring relief while also exposing emotions that were previously difficult to recognize.
What Prince Harry Learned About His Mental Health
Harry said that understanding his emotional reactions has helped him recognize when his body responds to stress and when adrenaline is not necessary.
He described learning to identify the situations that trigger those responses, allowing him to approach everyday life with greater awareness.
His comments also highlighted the difficulty of accepting help. Harry said he had worried that addressing his emotional struggles might take away something he associated with his connection to his mother.
Eventually, he came to understand that healing did not mean forgetting Diana or losing that connection.
Instead, he said that the realization that he could experience joy without betraying his mother helped free him from a painful way of thinking.
His experience is personal, and it does not mean everyone will respond to grief or stress in the same way. However, his willingness to discuss the subject has added to his public advocacy around mental health and emotional well-being.
Prince Harry’s Mental Health Journey: Key Details
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Main subject | Prince Harry’s mental health |
| Canada move | Late 2019 |
| Family members with him | Meghan Markle and Prince Archie |
| Period of depression described | About two weeks |
| Main experience discussed | An unexpected drop in adrenaline after leaving a stressful environment |
| Other major topic | Grief following Princess Diana’s death |
| Interview | MasterClass’s Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss |
1. Why did Prince Harry say he slipped into depression?
Harry said he experienced depression for about two weeks after moving to Canada in 2019. He described an unexpected adrenaline crash after leaving a stressful environment and adjusting to a quieter routine.
2. When did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle move to Canada?
The couple temporarily relocated to Canada with their son Archie in late 2019. They announced in January 2020 that they planned to step back from their roles as senior working royals.
3. What did Prince Harry say about Princess Diana?
Harry reflected on feeling emotionally numb after his mother died when he was 12. He said he once felt he had to remain sad to prove how much he missed her, but later realized that being happy did not mean he was betraying her memory.
4. Did Prince Harry say his military service caused his depression?
Harry discussed his military experiences and explained that some of his later reactions appeared connected to earlier trauma. He did not describe his experience as having one simple cause.
5. Where did Prince Harry discuss his mental health?
He shared his reflections during a MasterClass conversation titled Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss, where he discussed grief, stress, emotional numbness, and what he learned about himself.
Prince Harry’s account of experiencing depression after moving to Canada offers a glimpse into the emotional challenges he faced during a major turning point in his life. His reflections also show how the grief surrounding Princess Diana’s death continued to influence his understanding of happiness and emotional well-being.
By speaking openly about stress, grief, and learning to accept joy, Harry has continued a conversation about mental health that he has discussed publicly for years. His message is that understanding difficult emotions can take time, and healing does not require forgetting the people who matter most.