Prince Harry recently became a dad, and now he’s revealed one of the ways in which fatherhood has changed.
The 34-year-old welcomed his first child back in May, less than a year after marrying Meghan Markle – so it’s fair to say a lot has changed for the prince.
And now he’s been discussing how becoming a father has transformed his life, saying it brought him ‘newfound clarity’ about being a role model.
Speaking at the National Youth Mentoring Summit, organised by the Diana Awards charity, Harry said: ‘I’m struck by a few things today, most of which is the power of the invisible role model. The person who may be sitting here today that doesn’t realise that someone looks up to them, that – for that person – you inspire them to be kinder, better, greater, more successful, more impactful.
‘Perhaps it's the newfound clarity I have as a father knowing that my son will always be watching what I do, mimicking my behaviour, one day maybe even following in my footsteps.
‘But it's not just my role as a father that shows me that; it's in the people I see every day that don't realise how inspirational they are to those watching.’
The dad also spoke about how his mother was a role for so many people.
‘My mother, Princess Diana, was a role model to so many, without realising the impact she would have on so many lives’, he continued.
‘You don't have to be a princess or a public figure to be a role model, in fact it's equally valuable if you're not because it's more relatable. Being a role model and mentor can help heal the wounds of your own past and create a better future for someone else.’
This is not the first time Harry has opened up about how little Archie has changed his life.
A few months before the birth, at a roundtable discussion with Commonwealth young leaders , he said: ‘As someone who is about to become a father, I am acutely aware of our shared responsibility to make this world more resilient and its inhabitants more accountable for the next generation.
‘The only way to see real progress is not by chance, it's by change.’
