Prince Harry says he will ‘always be part of the royal family’ in bombshell interview

The Duke of Sussex has spoken to ITV News during his humanitarian visit to Ukraine this week, breaking his silence about the royal family

rince Harry has said he will “always be a part of the royal family” in a bombshell new interview released on Friday, six years after he left the UK.

Speaking to ITV News in Ukraine, the Duke of Sussex, 41, was asked if he felt like the “shackles” were now off, before opening up about feeling “gagged” about speaking up in “today’s world”.

In a rare face-to-face interview, Harry was asked if he recognised the phrase “not a working royal”, to which he responded: “No.”

He told royal editor Chris Ship: “I will always be part of the royal family and I’m here working, doing the very thing I was born to do and I enjoy doing it. I enjoy being able to do these trips and support the people that I’ve met before and the friends that I’ve made.“

Harry has a strained relationship with his father, King Charles, whom he last saw in September, and his older brother, Prince William, from whom he is estranged.

The interview abruptly ended after Harry was asked if his words could have “an impact” on King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the US next week. “No, I don’t think so, not at all,” he replied.

Harry, who is married to Meghan Markle and the father of two children, also called on world leaders to show “proper leadership” to end world conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. He said: “The future does look bleak. 

© Global Images Ukraine via Getty
Prince Harry is in Ukraine this week

“Everybody is worried for what is potentially around the corner but also what is happening now… the vast majority of the global population want to see an end to these conflicts. Less conversation about war, more about peace.”

What is Prince Harry’s royal status?

Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and moved to the US.

In doing so, they renounced their HRH titles, though they are still the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Harry is still a prince.

© Getty
Prince Harry has a strained relationship with the royal family

Their children, Archie and Lilibet, were granted “Prince” and “Princess” titles when King Charles became King, following the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, in 2022.

Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals but still carry out charitable work through Archewell Philanthropies. Their Australia tour last week was compared by some critics to a “royal tour”, with comparisons including a hospital visit and meet-and-greets with the public.

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Prince Harry’s visit to Ukraine

Prince Harry arrived in Ukraine for an unannounced visit on Thursday after taking the overnight train from Poland.

© Instagram
Prince Harry, Meghan and their children at Disneyland

He has so far met senior members of the military and soldiers who have been wounded in the war against Russia. The Prince is also due to spend time with the HALO Trust, which arranged his mother, Princess Diana’s, iconic landmine walk in Angola.

Harry gave a keynote speech at the Kyiv Security Forum on Thursday, telling the audience he is “not here as a politician” and directly appealing to Russian President Putin to end the war.

However, at a White House briefing afterwards, President Donald Trump declared that Harry “no longer speaks for the UK”.