Prince Harry on ‘messy’ past he had to ‘deal’ with before becoming a father

Prince Harry has reflected on the “messy” personal struggles he had to confront before becoming a father as he revealed that therapy played a key role in preparing him for parenthood.

Speaking during a visit to Melbourne at an event hosted by men’s health charity Movember, the Duke of Sussex said he wanted to work through issues from his past so he could be the best version of himself for his children.

King Charles’ son further explained that seeking professional help allowed him to process earlier experiences and approach fatherhood with a healthier mindset before welcoming Prince Archie in 2019 and later Princess Lilibet.

He began, “Certainly from a therapy standpoint, you want to be the best version of yourself for your kids," adding, “and I knew that I had stuff from the past that I needed to deal with and therefore, prepare myself to basically cleanse myself of the past."

Harry shared how before Archie’s birth his therapist told him to "just be aware of how you feel once the baby is born,” before admitting he felt a "disconnection" initially.

"My wife was the one creating life, and I was there to witness it,” he added.

“To the dads and soon-to-be dads: yes, it's messy. You'll have a rollercoaster of emotions — and don't judge yourself," Harry continued.

Talking about Movember's work, Harry said that he hopes it will "give anyone the confidence to know however you have been feeling, however you are feeling, is replicated in the vast majority of individuals."

"There's an evolution happening here, and I think the more guys that come forward and talk about it, the higher those numbers will be because those numbers are remarkable and very telling in a culture where it's not really talked about," he said.