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‘It’s your character that matters most,’ Prince Harry reveals what he tells Archie about his future

Prince Harry's new Netflix docu-series "Heart of Invictus" follows the stories of wounded service members competing in the Invictus Games.

Published on: Aug 31, 2023, 09:56:42 IST
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Archie, the 4-year-old son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has a lot of dreams for his future. He wants to explore the stars as an astronaut, or fly high in the sky as a pilot.

Britain's Prince Harry attends the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup in Singapore on August 12, 2023. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (AFP)
Britain's Prince Harry attends the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup in Singapore on August 12, 2023. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (AFP)

But his father, the Duke of Sussex, always reminds him of one thing, “it’s your character that matters most.”

This was the message that Harry shared with a group of athletes in his new Netflix docu-series, “Heart of Invictus”, which went live on Wednesday.

The five-part limited series follows the stories of wounded and injured service members who compete in the Invictus Games, an international adaptive multi-sport event founded by Prince Harry in 2014.

The Former royal member praised the players for their courage and resilience, and told them that he and Meghan would be proud if Archie grew up to have their character.

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“Nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today — you,” he said.

Harry and Meghan, who also have a 2-year-old daughter named Lilibet, have been estranged from the royal family since they stepped back from their senior roles in 2020 and moved to California.

In the docuseries, the 38-year-old prince opened up about his own struggles with mental health, which he said were triggered by his mother’s death in 1997 and his military service in Afghanistan.

“The trigger to me was actually returning from Afghanistan, but the stuff that was coming up was from …1997 from the age of 12,” he said.

“The biggest struggle for me is that no one around me could really help,” he added.

"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 you had dealt with some of this stuff previously.”

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Harry surprised fans by showing up at the premiere of the documentary on Monday in Chula Vista, Calif.

He joked with the attendees, who were dressed casually, and thanked them for their support.

“It’s nice of you to dress up for the occasion,” Harry quipped. “Suits and ties — no? I just want to say a huge thank you for coming out tonight.”

  • Tuhin Das Mahapatra
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    Tuhin Das Mahapatra

    Tuhin Das Mahapatra is a key member of the US Team at Hindustan Times, crafting compelling narratives on politics, US visa, Hollywood, esports, anime, and beyond. This erudite literature student, if not penning down a narrative with his modest yet trusty pen, is deeply contemplating 'what the purpose of journalism is?Read More

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