Prince Harry and Prince Archie

Speaking during a visit to a men’s mental health charity in Melbourne, the Duke of Sussex offered a deeply personal insight

rince Harry has candidly reflected on the emotional realities of early fatherhood, admitting he felt a sense of “disconnection” in the days after welcoming his first child.

Speaking during a visit to a men’s mental health charity in Melbourne, the Duke of Sussex offered a deeply personal insight into his experience as a new father to son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, whom he shares with wife Meghan Markle.

“Certainly, I felt a disconnection because my wife was the one creating life, and I was there to witness it,” Harry told the audience during a stage discussion.

prince harry speaking© Getty Images
Prince Harry opened up on his struggles with parenthood

Opening up about the often unspoken challenges men face in those early weeks, he continued: “And I think for many guys, you try to think about what service can I provide at this point, because my work here is done to some extent.”

The Duke went on to explain how that initial feeling of uncertainty can shift, particularly with the right emotional awareness. “And then when it comes back around again, I think the biggest tip that I was given, actually, for my therapist in the UK was just be aware of how you feel once the baby is born.”

Prince Archie Harrison tends to a rose in a photo captured by Meghan Markle in their garden© Instagram
Prince Archie Harrison

Harry did not shy away from describing the intensity of those first days as a parent, admitting: “Those days, weeks, after birth are a real struggle.”

His remarks struck a chord with many in the audience, particularly as he framed fatherhood as an evolving journey, one that requires openness and a willingness to grow.

Prince Archie looked so tall alongside his red-haired sister Princess Lilibet in their mother Meghan Markle's arms© Instagram
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in their mother Meghan Markle’s arms

“I see parenting evolving over time. I think it always has, just as much as from my perspective, our kids are our upgrade,” he said.

“That’s not how I was taught but that was my take on it,  not to say I was an upgrade of my dad or that my kids are an upgrade of me.”

Instead, Harry described his approach as one rooted in preparing the next generation for a rapidly changing world. “That’s the approach that I take, to know that with the world the way that it goes, the kids that we bring up in today’s world need to be an upgrade.”

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet wearing Mickey/Minnie Mouse caps© Instagram
Harry with his kids and wife Meghan

The Duke of Sussex said that before the Covid-19 pandemic, fellow fathers were envious of his ability to work from home. “I’m fortunate enough to be able to work from home,” he said.

“I say fortunate enough, sometimes it doesn’t always work out that way.”

He added pre-pandemic, others often viewed it as an ideal setup, saying: “You work from home, that’s fantastic.

“And then during Covid, it was like, well, this working from home thing is really not great when you have small kids running around, jumping into your meetings.”