Prince Harry claims no one helped with his mental health… but thanked William in 2017 for urging him to get therapy
PRINCE Harry thanked Prince William for urging him to get therapy in 2017 – despite claiming his family gave him “no support” in a new Netflix show.
In the Duke of Sussex’s new project – Heart of Invictus – he says he was left “lying in the foetal position” and “bouncing off walls” after serving in Afghanistan.
Harry says he suppressed his emotions “like most youngsters would have done” when his return triggered the trauma of losing his mum at a young age.
He claimed: “The biggest struggle for me was that no one around me could really help.
“I didn’t have that support structure that network or that expert advice to identify what was actually going on with me.
“Unfortunately like most of us, the first time you really consider therapy is when you’re lying on the floor in the fetal position probably wishing that you dealt with some of this stuff previously.”
However, Harry previously told how Prince William had insisted he get help dealing with his mental health in 2017.
Harry told Bryony Gordon, of the Mad World podcast: “It’s all about timing. And for me personally, my brother, you know, bless him, he was a huge support to me.
“He kept saying this is not right, this is not normal, you need to talk to [someone] about stuff, it’s OK.”
Royal biographer Angela Levin also says William pleaded with his brother on several occasions.
She told The Sun: “Harry’s claims about his own mental health – I mean he spoke to me in 2017 about how he was and he kept burying it in the sand.
“William however tried for a long time to get him to go and see somebody.
“Harry said to me: ‘Well you know what it’s like. You don’t want to be told what to do by your big brother.’
“For a start, Harry isn’t somebody who nobody gave a hoot about.
“People wanted to help but he was very determined to do what he likes when he’s ready. He decided it was time to do in his early 20s.”
The new show explores the life of injured and ill military veterans who take part in the Paralympic-style Invictus Games.
In an earlier episode, Harry revealed chats he’s had with son Archie about what the youngster wants to be when he grows up.
Speaking to athletes at the Invictus Games, which he founded for wounded soldiers, Harry said what would make him proud of young Archie.
The Duke told the crowd: “When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it’s an astronaut, other days it’s a pilot.
“But what I remind him is no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it’s your character that matters most.
“And nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today – you.”
Harry’s wife Meghan also briefly featured in the documentary – sharing and emotional message about family.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, thanked the family and friends of the veterans taking part in the fourth episode.
Meghan said: “Thank you so much for your service and thank you to all the family and friends who are here supporting you along the way, because this is service, this is dedication and this is the Invictus family.”