Prince Harry has opened up about his mental health, but has received criticism for his comments.
During a live stream hosted by BetterUp, The Duke of Sussex spoke about how he experiences burnout.
Prince Harry appeared alongside tennis star Serena Williams and BetterUp CEO Alexi Robichaux.
Prince Harry says he felt ‘burnout’
Prince Harry spoke openly about his experiences, saying he felt “burnout,” which he described as, “literally getting to the very end of everything that I had, any fuel or any steam in the engine just like I was burning the candle at both ends.”
He added, “And it was like ‘boom,’ that is when you are forced to look inside yourself, because with everything else around you seemingly, you feel as though it’s working against you, the only way that you could really combat it.”
He also spoke about the importance of self-care, but added that he knew how difficult it could be to find the time. He said he now prioritizes self-care: “I now put in about half an hour, 45 minutes, in the morning when it’s like, ‘Okay, one of the kids has gone to school, the other one is taking a nap, there’s a break in our programme.’ It’s like, right, it’s either for workout, take the dog for a walk, get out in nature, maybe meditate.”
Prince Harry receives backlash for comments about burnout
The duke’s comments received mixed reactions on social media, with many questioning what he gets burnout from, as he comes from a privileged, royal family.
One Twitter user noted that self-care may be a lot easier for Prince Harry, given the money and support that he has.
Some were sarcastic with their responses:
However, it wasn’t all criticism for Harry, who is currently working as the chief impact officer of BetterUp.
Some appreciated the duke’s honesty and related to his feelings of burnout.
Others expressed their appreciation of Harry for staying consistent in his talks about mental fitness.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rift from the royal family
The prince and his wife, Meghan Markle, have been on the receiving end of criticism ever since they stepped back from royal duties.
On January 9, 2020, the couple announced that they were stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family and would work to become financially independent.
Since then, the couple has had an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.
During the interview, they revealed shocking details, including racist comments made by a member of the royal family towards their future child and the royal family’s treatment of Markle.
The royals were displeased with the interview and Prince William was led to clarify, “We are very much not a racist family.”
Recently, Royal Expert Katie Nichols revealed that Prince Harry wants to lay low to avoid further upsetting Queen Elizabeth.