The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has opened up about his approach to balancing work commitments with family life during a new MasterClass focused on grief and emotional resilience. The 42-year-old royal discussed his personal guideline for separating time spent away from his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie, aged seven, and Princess Lilibet, aged five.
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In the MasterClass entitled “Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss,” Harry reveals that he tries not to be away from his family for longer than ten days. “The biggest factor for me is the energy and joy I receive from being with my family, especially our kids, and the happiness I get from being engaged in my work,” he stated. This balancing act reflects not just his role as a professional, but equally as a husband and father, exhibiting the complexity of his identity.
Harry’s remarks align with the couple’s approach to maintaining their relationship during long-distance periods when they first started dating. In their past, when Harry was based in London and Meghan was living in Toronto, they adhered to a “two-week rule,” wherein they would not go more than 14 days without seeing one another. This commitment was highlighted in their 2022 Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” which provided insight into the effort they put into keeping their relationship strong despite the geographical separation.
Recently, Prince Harry’s work has required international travel, including a trip to New York City for the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting. This marked his first visit to the United States since the Sussex family relocated back to the UK. During this trip, he spent approximately four days away, later returning home to his family.
Meghan has also shared her struggles with being away from their children for extensive periods. In a second season episode of her podcast, “With Love, Meghan,” she reflected on the challenges they faced after Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in September 2022, which resulted in a prolonged stay in the UK. Meghan confided that the longest duration she went without seeing Archie and Lilibet was nearly three weeks, an experience that significantly affected her well-being.
Harry, too, has touched upon the emotional weight of such separations in his memoir, “Spare.” He recounted how what was intended to be a brief trip turned into a significantly more extended absence from his children. “Our quick trip would now be an odyssey. Another ten days, at least. Difficult days at that,” he wrote, underscoring the emotional strain that extended separations can create for parents.
The new MasterClass, which Harry developed in collaboration with neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor, aims to provide insight into his personal journey with grief, which is rooted in the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, in a tragic accident in 1997. It delves into the emotional challenges he faced following her death and how those experiences ultimately shaped his path toward healing.
Harry’s engagement with this topic came at the request of MasterClass, which reached out to him last year to create a course on grief. The filming took place in California during the summer, although he did not shoot it at his home in Montecito.
To coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10, the course has been designed not only for personal growth but also as a resource to benefit charities associated with bereavement. It supports organizations like Comfort Zone Camp and Scotty’s Little Soldiers, both of which have been longstanding causes for Harry.
Through this initiative, Prince Harry aims to not only navigate his own experiences with grief but also lend a hand to others who may be facing similar challenges in their lives. His commitment to facilitating conversations around mental health and grief appears to be a sustained effort, reflective of his personal journey and public role.