Prince Harry addresses the work he says he was ‘born to do’ during surprise Ukraine trip

Prince Harry visiting a HALO clearance team in Ukraine on April 24, 2026.Credit : Valentyn Kuzan for The HALO Trust 2026

Six years after stepping back from his royal role, Prince Harry says he’ll “always be part of the royal family.”

The Duke of Sussex, 41, spoke to ITV during his trip to Ukraine on Friday, April 24, where he was asked if he recognized the phrase “not a working royal” as a description of himself.

“No. I will always be part of the royal family,” Harry replied.

“I am here working doing the things that I was born to do,” he continued. “And, you know, I enjoy doing it. I enjoy coming to do these trips and supporting that I’ve ever before, the friends that I’ve made, and hopefully, bringing attention to issues that, for one reason or another, drop out of the news because something else has popped up.”

Prince Harry made the comments after he joined the humanitarian landmine clearance organization HALO to explore the latest digital de-mining technology near the city of Bucha. His mother, Princess Diana, drew global attention to the call for an international landmine ban when she walked through an active minefield in Angola in 1997 with the organization.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared their plans to “carve out a progressive new role” within the royal family and “balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America” in January 2020.

“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen,” the couple announced.

However, shortly after, Prince Harry had a meeting with his father then-Prince Charles, his brother Prince William and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth in what became known as the “Sandringham Summit.” The monarch announced there would be a one-year “period of transition” as Harry and Meghan fully fledged out their new roles. One year later, it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — who moved to her home state of California in 2020 — would not be returning to their royal roles.

At the time, Queen Elizabeth made clear that a so-called “half-in, half-out” arrangement would not be possible, drawing a firm line between official royal duties and private, income-generating work. Harry and Meghan, for their part, offered a different view — maintaining that a life of service was not confined to the institution but something that could be carried forward independently. “Service is universal,” they said.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Sydney, Australia, on April 27, 2026.Cameron Spencer/Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan, 44, shared grievances from their time in the royal family via a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan that debuted in 2022 and Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare — widening the rift.

At times, there has been a desire to reconnect — but “the underlying issue is trust,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith previously told PEOPLE. “The King and William don’t trust Harry and Meghan with any kind of confidential conversation.”

Prince Harry also spoke after losing a legal appeal regarding his security in the U.K., which was stripped after he stepped back from his role, saying the matter has caused prolonged tension with his family. There, the Duke of Sussex told BBC News that he “would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”

“Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” he continued, seeming to reference King Charles’ cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment.

Through their charitable organization Archewell Philanthropies, Prince Harry and Meghan have continued to highlight and support the armed forces, mental health, the rights of women and girls and more causes close to their hearts.