"Nobody wants to be king or queen": Prince Harry's statements that cause astonishment in the UK
No one in the British royal family wishes to occupy the throne, according to Prince Harry, fifth in line to the British throne.
"Is there anyone in the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don't think so, but we will fulfill our duties in due time," the 32-year-old prince said in an interview with the American magazine Newsweek, in which he reflects on his life and the future of the monarchy.
"We are involved in the modernization of the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves, but for the good of all," added Prince William's younger brother.
Harry's remarks are sure to cause astonishment, according to Peter Hunt, the BBC's real affairs correspondent.
"Harry is implying that the queen's heirs will assume what is a position of enormous privilege because they have to, not because they want to," Hunt said.
"And although the prince added that the royal family fulfills its role for the good of all and not for themselves, that has not stopped a tabloid from publishing the headline 'Harry: no one in the royal family wants the throne'" .
"You should never ask that of a child"
Harry also criticized being made to walk behind his mother's coffin during the funeral procession through the streets of London following the death of Princess Diana in August 1997.
The prince was then 12 years old. And he assures that "something like this should not be asked of any child under any circumstances. I think that would not happen today."
Harry walked behind the coffin alongside his father, Prince Charles, his brother William, and his uncle, the Earl of Spencer.
"My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me and millions more watching on television," the prince told Newsweek.
For BBC correspondent Peter Hunt, Harry's comment is an implicit criticism of members of his immediate family.
"Ordinary life"
Harry praised his mother in the interview for showing him what "ordinary life" is.
"People would be surprised by the ordinary life that William and I have," he said.
The prince, whose partner is American actress Meghan Markle, said that if he ever had children, they too would live an ordinary life.
"Even if I was king I would do my own shopping," said the prince.
"But it's a difficult balance to strike. We don't want to dilute the magic ... The British public and the whole world need institutions like this."
"Chaos" after Diana's death
In an April interview with the British daily The Telegraph, Harry admitted that for two years he lived in a period of "total chaos" after the death of his mother.
He also noted that for many years he suppressed his emotions without daring to seek help.
"My way of dealing with this was putting my head in the sand, refusing to think about my mother, because she said to me: How can you help me? They are not going to bring her back," he said.
Harry noted that he only sought help from a professional at 28, following the advice of several close people, including his brother.
The prince's openness about his difficulties after his mother's death was praised by British organizations working to promote mental health.
