Prince Harry told Dr Gabor Maté during their sit-down interview that he wants to shield Archie and Lilibet from his own childhood trauma. The intimate conversation covered Harry’s traumatic childhood and his journey to healing. He told the Hungarian-Canadian physician that he is focused on being the best father possible to Archie and Lilibet.
Dr Maté, a well-known expert who specializes in trauma, addiction, stress and childhood development, brought up several issues raised in Harry’s memoir, Spare.
The Duke of Sussex said he wanted to give his own children a different upbringing from the one he experienced.
He said: “I feel a huge responsibility not to pass on any trauma or negative experiences that I’ve had as a kid or as a man growing up.
“And that’s work, that’s putting in the work, and daily, being conscious of my behavior, of my reactions to both of my kids.”
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Harry continued: “And there are times when I catch myself in a moment when I should be smothering them with that love and in that moment, I might not be, reminding myself.
“I wouldn’t have been as aware of it had I not done the therapy and work that I’ve done.”
He went on to discuss how he and Meghan “do the best we can as parents – learning from our own past and overlapping those mistakes, perhaps, and growing to break that cycle”.
The Duke of Sussex said it is important for him to show his son and daughter love and affection because he was “deprived” of that as a child.
The conversation was set up to promote Harry’s memoir Spare, released in January.
The chat started with Dr Maté questioning whether Harry felt he was a “victim” in his own narrative.
Harry immediately rejected his claim, responding: “I don’t see myself as a victim I’m really grateful to be able to share my story and help empower and encourage others.”
“I do not and have never looked for sympathy.”
