Prince Harry has opened up about a difficult period in his life after leaving the United Kingdom, revealing that he experienced around two weeks of depression after moving to Canada in 2019. The Duke of Sussex described the emotional adjustment as unexpected, explaining how stepping away from a high-pressure environment left him struggling to adapt to a quieter daily routine.
Harry shared these personal reflections during a new MasterClass discussion about grief and resilience, where he spoke with neuroscientist Dr Mary-Frances O'Connor. The conversation explored his mental health, the lasting impact of losing his mother, Princess Diana, and the challenges of understanding emotions that had remained unaddressed for years.
His account offers a more personal perspective on the period surrounding his and Meghan Markle's decision to step back from their roles as senior working royals. Rather than focusing solely on the public controversy surrounding their departure, Harry discussed the private emotional difficulties he encountered during the transition.
Key Takeaways
- Prince Harry said he experienced depression for approximately two weeks after moving to Canada in 2019.
- He described an unexpected drop in adrenaline after leaving a stressful environment.
- Harry reflected on the long-term emotional effects of Princess Diana's death.
- He discussed how therapy helped him confront feelings he had struggled to process.
- His MasterClass conversation focuses on grief, emotional resilience and learning to accept happiness again.
Prince Harry Opens Up About His Struggle After Leaving Britain
Harry's decision to speak openly about his mental health has brought renewed attention to the personal challenges he experienced during the transition away from royal duties. In 2019, he and Meghan travelled to Canada with their young son, Prince Archie, seeking distance from the pressures surrounding their lives in Britain.
Harry explained that the change in surroundings affected him more quickly than he had anticipated. After spending years in demanding environments, he found it difficult to adjust when the constant pressure and intensity of his previous routine suddenly diminished.
He described experiencing what he called an adrenaline crash within days of arriving in Canada. According to his account, he had become so accustomed to operating under stress that ordinary activities felt unexpectedly difficult when that pressure disappeared.
Harry said the experience developed into a period of depression lasting about two weeks. He recalled feeling unable to function as he had expected and struggling to understand why the change in circumstances had affected him so strongly.
His comments provide insight into how a major life transition can bring emotional challenges that may not be immediately obvious to others. Although leaving a stressful situation can create opportunities for a fresh start, adjusting to a different pace of life can also take time.
The Unexpected Adrenaline Crash in Canada
One of the central themes of Harry's account was the relationship between prolonged stress and his ability to function in everyday life. He suggested that he had become accustomed to intense situations and the heightened alertness that accompanied them.
When he moved away from that environment, the sudden change left him feeling unsettled. The activities of ordinary domestic life seemed harder to manage, prompting him to reconsider how much his previous routine had shaped his emotional responses.
Harry's description of an adrenaline crash was his own explanation of the experience. It should not be interpreted as a medical diagnosis or proof that everyone responds to stress in the same way. His account nevertheless highlights the difficulty some people face when moving from prolonged pressure into a much quieter environment.
The adjustment also took place during a significant period for Harry and Meghan. Their move to Canada came before they formally stepped back from their senior working royal responsibilities in early 2020 and subsequently established a home in the United States.
For Harry, the transition involved more than changing countries. It also meant reconsidering his identity, responsibilities and the routines that had shaped much of his adult life.
Princess Diana's Death Continued to Affect Harry
During the same conversation, Harry reflected on the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a Paris car crash in August 1997. Harry was just 12 years old at the time, and he has spoken on several occasions about how difficult it was to understand and process the loss.
He explained that he spent years feeling emotionally numb and struggled with the idea that he could experience happiness without betraying his mother's memory. In his view, sadness had become closely connected with proving how much he missed her.
That belief made it difficult for him to accept positive emotions without feelings of guilt. Rather than allowing grief and happiness to exist together, he felt that remaining sad was somehow a way of demonstrating his loyalty to Diana.
Harry's reflections suggest that his understanding of grief changed over time. He came to recognise that remembering a loved one does not require someone to remain unhappy indefinitely. Happiness can exist alongside sadness, and moving forward does not mean that the person who died has become less important.
His experience is personal, and grief affects people differently. However, his willingness to discuss these emotions has helped bring attention to the complicated ways bereavement can influence a person's life long after a loss.
Why Harry Believed He Had to Keep His Emotions Hidden
Harry also discussed the emotional distance he maintained for many years. Looking back, he described how he attempted to keep difficult feelings under control rather than fully acknowledging them.
He referred to his military service in Afghanistan, explaining that he had hoped intense experiences and constant activity would allow him to outrun his feelings. Yet the emotions connected to his mother's death remained unresolved.
His comments underline the difference between staying occupied and processing painful experiences. Work, exercise, responsibilities and demanding routines can provide structure, but they do not necessarily resolve grief or other difficult emotions.
Harry's account also challenges the assumption that a person who appears capable and active is necessarily coping well internally. Emotional struggles are not always visible to family members, colleagues or the public, and outward appearances cannot reveal the full extent of someone's experience.
How Therapy Helped Harry Revisit Memories of Diana
Harry spoke about the role of therapy in helping him approach feelings he had avoided for years. One particularly memorable suggestion involved using his mother's perfume as a way to reconnect with memories of her.
Scent can be closely associated with autobiographical memories and emotions. In Harry's case, revisiting a familiar fragrance became part of a deeply personal process of reconnecting with his memories of Diana.
He described the experience as helping him reconsider the guilt he had attached to happiness. Instead of believing that positive emotions were disloyal to his mother, he began to understand that her memory did not require him to remain trapped in sadness.
His discussion with neuroscientist Dr Mary-Frances O'Connor also explored how the brain responds to bereavement. O'Connor studies the neuroscience of grief and explains how people may continue to expect a loved one to return even after understanding that the person has died.
The conversation connects Harry's personal experience with a broader discussion about how people adapt to loss. It does not suggest that grief follows a fixed timetable, but it highlights the potential value of support and reflection when painful emotions become difficult to manage.
Harry and Meghan's Decision to Step Back From Royal Duties
Harry's move to Canada formed part of a wider transition for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In January 2020, the couple announced that they intended to step back as senior members of the royal family and work towards greater financial independence.
The announcement attracted considerable public attention and prompted extensive discussion about the monarchy, media scrutiny and the couple's future. They later moved to California, where they established a family life outside the working royal structure.
Harry's latest reflections offer a different perspective on that period by focusing on the emotional adjustment rather than the public debate. His comments describe how leaving a demanding environment did not automatically resolve the personal challenges he was experiencing.
The distinction is important because major life changes can bring both relief and uncertainty. Even when a decision creates greater distance from a stressful situation, adapting to a new identity and routine can involve unexpected difficulties.
A New Conversation About Grief and Emotional Resilience
Harry shared these experiences as part of a MasterClass programme focused on grief and resilience. The discussion encourages viewers to consider how loss can influence their emotions, relationships and understanding of themselves.
By speaking about his own struggles, Harry has added his voice to a wider conversation about mental health. His account highlights that grief is not always expressed through visible sadness. For some people, it can involve emotional numbness, guilt, confusion or difficulty reconnecting with positive experiences.
Professional support can help people understand these reactions and explore ways of coping. However, every person's circumstances are different, and one individual's experience should not be treated as a universal explanation for depression or bereavement.
Harry's reflections also challenge the idea that resilience means suppressing difficult emotions. Acknowledging pain, seeking support and allowing room for happiness can all form part of a person's response to loss.
Prince Harry's Message Extends Beyond Royal Life
Although Harry's experiences are shaped by his unusual public position, the emotional questions he raises are relevant to people from many different backgrounds. Bereavement, major life transitions and the pressure to appear strong can affect individuals regardless of their circumstances.
His account illustrates that leaving a difficult environment does not necessarily bring immediate emotional relief. Sometimes, the quieter period that follows a major change can make previously overlooked feelings more noticeable.
It also reinforces the importance of recognising when emotional difficulties persist and seeking appropriate help. Talking about mental health does not remove every challenge, but it can help people feel less isolated and better able to understand what they are experiencing.
For Harry, discussing his two-week period of depression and the long-term effects of losing Diana has become an opportunity to explain parts of his life that were not always visible to the public.
Final Thoughts
Prince Harry's account of experiencing depression after moving to Canada offers a personal look at the emotional challenges that accompanied his departure from Britain. His description of an unexpected adrenaline crash, combined with his reflections on Princess Diana's death, shows how past experiences and major life changes can intersect in complicated ways.
His conversation about therapy, grief and happiness also carries a broader message: people do not have to remain unhappy to demonstrate their love for someone they have lost. Remembering a loved one and building a fulfilling life can exist side by side.
By speaking openly about this period, Harry has helped bring further attention to discussions about grief and emotional well-being beyond the royal family.
