Prince Harry admits he was ‘afraid’ to return to the UK for Prince Philip’s funeral

Prince Harry arrives for the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England
(Image credit: Photo by Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince Harry has spoken of being ‘afraid’ to return to the UK for his grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral last month as he shared how he used skills learnt in therapy to cope. 

Prince Harry has revealed he felt huge trepidation when it came to returning to the UK to attend Prince Philip’s funeral last month. The Duke of Sussex is living in the US after he and Meghan Markle decided to step back as senior members of the Royal Family last year.

It’s understood that the funeral marked the first time he had reunited with his family in person for over a year. There had been speculation over whether Meghan would join him, though she was reportedly advised against flying by her doctor due to her pregnancy.

Instead, Harry, who could still be king, arrived back in the UK alone in time to self-isolate prior to the service. 

Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Peter Phillips, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex follow Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's coffin during the Ceremonial Procession during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England

Now he has revealed that he was “afraid” to come back as it would mean facing cameras and anxiety once again. He recently gave a joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote their new Apple TV+ docuseries, The Me You Can’t See, which focuses on mental health. It was during this interview that Harry told The Associated Press how much returning to the UK worried him.

“I was worried about it, I was afraid,” he stated, before reportedly explaining he used coping skills learnt in therapy to work through his trepidation. 

“It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,” Harry shared.

Harry’s return to the UK came just months after his and Meghan’s shocking “tell-all” interview with Oprah aired. Here Harry claimed that Prince Charles stopped taking his calls after they revealed their intention to step back and described his father and Prince William as “trapped” in the institution. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWevopoBmAE

The astonishing revelations have led to rumors of tension between the Sussexes and The Firm. Though after Prince Philip’s funeral service, Harry and William were observed talking together.

It’s been suggested that Harry and William “broke the ice” ahead of their reunion for an unveiling of a memorial statue of Princess Diana this summer.

In The Me You Can’t See, Harry bravely opened up about the trauma of losing his mother, describing the ‘out of body’ experience he had at her funeral. He also spoke of the importance of making your voice heard.

“The only way to free yourself and break out is, to tell the truth,” Prince Harry powerfully declared. 

Emma Shacklock
Senior Lifestyle Writer

Emma is a Senior Lifestyle Writer with six years of experience working in digital publishing, ranging from book publishing to magazines. She currently looks after all things Lifestyle for Woman&Home, Goodto.com, and My Imperfect Life.