Prince Harry has opened up about decades of suppressed grief and bouts of depression in a newly released online video course, sparking fresh scrutiny after representatives confirmed he was paid for the project.
The Duke of Sussex, 42, co-instructed the session titled “Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss” alongside American neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor on the educational subscription service MasterClass. The release was timed ahead of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, OK! Magazine reported. Following the debut, the Daily Mail reported that Harry received a six-figure sum for his role, an arrangement his spokesperson confirmed while declining to issue an official statement, according to reports from Page Six and OK! Magazine.
Reflections on Loss and Emotional Numbness
In the instructional session, Harry revisited the emotional aftermath of the August 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a Paris car crash when he was 12 years old. The royal revealed that he avoided tears for nearly two decades after her burial, entering an extended period of emotional numbness.
“I was convinced that was strength, but it wasn’t,” Harry said during the session, according to The Mirror US. “It was a 12-year-old boy with no permission to fall apart and no roadmap for how to heal.”
Harry recounted feeling guilty and disloyal at the thought of being happy, believing that remaining miserable was necessary to demonstrate his devotion to his late mother. He credited a therapist with guiding his breakthrough, explaining that smelling Diana’s perfume revived sensory recollections and permitted long-buried feelings to resurface. He also noted that he regularly talks to a portrait of her and looks to her image for guidance, Page Six reported.
Coping with Change and Commercial Criticism
The course combines personal anecdotes with scientific analysis from O’Connor to guide viewers in processing bereavement. Along with his childhood trauma, Harry reflected on the psychological toll of departing his working royal position. He recalled experiencing an severe drop in adrenaline and falling into depression for approximately two weeks after relocating to Canada in late 2019, Yahoo reported.
Despite the program’s educational framing, the monetization of such intimate recollections has drawn backlash. Critics pointed to promotional marketing that incorporated archival clips of a young Harry walking behind Diana’s funeral procession, calling the commercial use of the tragedy unseemly, OK! Magazine noted. According to The Hollywood Reporter, cited by Page Six, instructors on the platform typically receive a baseline advance of $100,000 in addition to a 30 percent share of subscription earnings generated by their classes.
A source close to Harry defended his decision to participate, telling outlets that critics should watch the material before evaluating it and arguing that he was merely “speaking from the heart.” The initiative also includes support from MasterClass for bereavement organizations, including British military charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers and the U.S. nonprofit Comfort Zone Camp, according to OK! Magazine.
It remains unclear whether Harry plans further commercial education ventures as he continues his mental health advocacy while balancing his family’s private life following their recent relocation back to Britain.
