Prince Harry has said he stepped back from his royal duties because the British media was “poisonous” and “ruining” his mental health.
The royal gave a candid interview to a British speech show hosting James Corden’s Late Late Show – with the couple taking a tour in Los Angeles on an outdoor bus with afternoon tea.
Harry opened up why he withdrew from Royal duties, saying “I did not walk away”, but he had to leave because of the British media affecting his mental health.
He said: “I did what any husband and father would do – I have to get my family out of here.
“But we have never walked away – and as far as I’m concerned, what decisions will be made on that side – I will never walk away.
“I always contribute – my life is a public service – so wherever I am in the world it’s going to be the same”.
In an extensive interview he also revealed:
- Queen Archie bought a waffle maker for Christmas
- He knew that Meghan Markle’s wife was “the one” on the second date
- He didn’t see much of LA because of locking
- He wishes the Crown had a picture of his family history as it does not “pretend it’s news”
- He would love to be played in the series by Damian Lewis
On how he feels about the Netflix hit series The Crown, which is based on his family, he said: “They don’t pretend to be news – it’s fictional. But it’s loosely based on the truth.
“Of course it’s not entirely right, but it gives you a rough idea of what that lifestyle is – what the pressures are of putting responsibility and service above family and all another – what can that come. “
He continued: “I am far more comfortable with the Crown than I am with the stories written about my family, or my wife or myself.
James Corden and Prince Harry took a trip to LA on an outdoor bus with afternoon tea
“Because it’s the difference between fiction – accept it as you do – but here it is [news reports] It is reported as a fact because you have a right to be news. I have a real issue with that.
When Corden asked Harry who he would like to see played on the show, he appeared non-stop: “Damian Lewis”.
The famous red-haired actor, 50, is best known for his roles in Band of Brothers and Homeland.
Harry also revealed that he knew that his wife Meghan Markle was the one on their second date.
“It wasn’t so much where we went but the fact that we hit it off together, and we were just so comfortable in each other’s company,” he said.
“It’s good for me or any member of the Royal Family to go upside down. All the dates are dinners or watching TV or chatting at home.”
He said the pair had to spend “a long time” getting to know each other without any further worries.
“No worries – it was great – and it was amazing. We went from zero to 60 in the first two months.”
James Cordon put Meghan’s Facetimed through the interview
Meghan, a former Suits actress, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, made a cameo in the interview when Harry and Corden paid a house visit from Prince Fresh Bel Air.
When Corden suggested they should buy the house, Meghan said: “I think we’ve made enough of a move”.
In a shocking revelation, Harry said that the Queen ‘s grandmother bought his son Archie as a waffle maker for Christmas.
“My grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas, and Meg said a waffle maker. So she put a waffle machine for Archie!”
It turned out that Meghan now makes waffles with a “beautiful organic mix” and eats them for breakfast with toppings including berries and syrup.
He also said that both his grandparents, the Queen and Prince Philip know how to use Zoom, joking that his grandfather physically shuts down the laptop when he finishes one of their calls instead of clicking off.