Harry says ‘grief can break you’ as he makes heartbreaking admission in keynote speech
Prince Harry has spoken about the impact of the loss of his mother saying he felt “lost, betrayed, or completely powerless” throughout his life due to his grief
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex delivers the keynote speech at the InterEdge Summit (Image: Getty)
The Duke of Sussex has spoken out over his personal grief saying it ‘can break you’ in a heartbreaking admission during a keynote speech.
Prince Harry told crowds at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne he “doesn’t have his s*** together” and had felt “lost, betrayed, or completely powerless” during his life, focusing on the loss of his mother.
Harry was just 12-years-old when Diana died and spoke about how her death left him feeling “overwhelmed”.
The Duke spoke to the audience about his struggle with grief (Image: Getty)
The Duke, wearing a jacket and white shirt, told crowds “When I was invited to speak at this summit, I wasn’t sure whether I was expected to speak as someone who, despite everything, has their s*** together.
“Or as someone who, despite what it may look like, actually doesn’t have his s*** together.
“But I was struck by something quite simple – that while my experiences may be unusual, the feelings that come with them are not.
“In my experience, loss is disorienting at any age.
“Grief does not disappear because we ignore it. Experiencing that as a kid while in a goldfish bowl under constant surveillance, yes, that will have its challenges. And without purpose, it can break you.”
Harry added: “There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed.
“Times when I’ve felt lost, betrayed, or completely powerless.
“Times when the pressure – externally and internally – felt constant.
Harry has addressed his mental health many times on the tour
“And times when, despite everything going on, I still had to show up pretending everything was ok, so as not to let anyone down.
“For many years I was numb to it, and perhaps that was easier then, but I also didn’t yet have the tools to deal with it.”
The duke noted that becoming a father made him realise that asking for help was a “strength” rather than a “weakness”.
Harry made the remarks at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne on “leadership, psychosocial safety and human connection in the workplace”, as the Duchess of Sussex watched on in the audience on Thursday.
Tickets to the summit were available for £525, with platinum tickets costing £1,250 and a virtual ticket allowing on-demand access to Harry’s speech costing £260.
It is understood that Harry was not paid a fee for his speech.
