Prince Harry: ‘I will always be part of the royal family and I’m here, working’

Prince Harry arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine on Thursday. He gave the keynote address at a significant security conference, and he also spoke at an Invictus event. On Friday, Harry was in Bucha to meet with officials there, and he laid a wreath at a war memorial and did more work with veterans and the military. He met with some NATO commanders as well. Harry also did some work with his longtime patronage, The HALO Trust. The Russians have left mines across Ukraine, and the HALO Trust has been working tirelessly to demine. When Harry went to Kyiv last September, we learned that Harry is extremely popular within Ukraine, and that Ukraine’s Invictus team are all national heroes. This visit has solidified all of that – everyday Ukrainians have come out to see him, everyone wants to talk to him and one guy even got Harry to sign a hard copy of Spare.

For this trip, ITV’s Chris Ship traveled with Harry and Ship was given several big exclusives, including a one-on-one interview about the work of HALO and the war in Ukraine. The big moment, the moment everyone’s talking about, came in the second half of the interview. Ship asked Harry if he feels unburdened by not being a working royal anymore, and Harry first spoke about “I think the Overton Window has shifted somewhat over the past five years,” then said that he hopes everyone, especially people with power and influence, can freely speak their mind about injustice and “speak truth to power.” The “Overton Window” reference is FASCINATING!!! But the quote which has gotten everyone riled up comes around the 5:30-mark: “I will always be part of the royal family and I’m here, working and doing the very thing I was born to do. And I enjoy doing it.”

At the end, Ship asks Harry if he believes this Ukrainian visit will affect King Charles’s state visit to the US, and Harry hilariously shrugs off the question. Because… of course it won’t affect the state visit! Donald Trump has completely lost the plot in general, but specifically about Ukraine. And Charles won’t bring it up. Anyway, the usual suspects are hyperventilating about Harry’s answer that he’ll always be part of the royal family and he’ll always work. I heard glasses breaking in Forest Lodge! His brother has never, ever understood that Harry works because it’s his calling and he wants to make a difference. William has never seen his own work that way, as a calling, as a responsibility, as part of his noblesse oblige. William only sees work as something to be avoided at all cost.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, screencaps from The HALO Trust’s video.

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30 Responses to “Prince Harry: ‘I will always be part of the royal family and I’m here, working’”

  1. Julie says:

    Chris Ship did a great job in Ukraine reporting on Harry. Beside the subject at hand, which he also cover the Halo Trust work very well with historical and technology contexts. He even reminded the public that funds are needed for them to continue (podcast). What I truly appreciated of his reporting is that for the first time Harry was able to remind people that he is part of the royal family, works hard and love it. It showed that Harry knows he has a platform and understand the importance of using it for good.

    • Eurydice says:

      I don’t think he had to remind anyone that he’s still part of the RF – the press and the left-behinds have been screaming about it for years. It’s more about letting the world know that, no matter what happens and despite all of William’s threats, he will always consider himself part of the RF. It’s also a shot at those who say he’s cowering miserably in Montecito with no purpose and identity.

      • Julie says:

        It need to be said and repeated exactly for the reasons you give. This is how perception even the strongest change. Told by Harry, it have also a very strong impact.

      • Jais says:

        Idk, I kind of think the public does need the reminder that he’s a part of the RF. Yes, they know, but with all the discussion and media crying about how he’s not a working royal, it’s a good reminder to make the distinction that being a working royal doesn’t have anything with being royal or part of th royal family. It seems obvious but that’s part of what the BM has been trying to do. But as long as the monarchy exists, then there are royals whether they are “working” royals or not, aka whether they get paid public funds or not.

    • Yup, Me says:

      It’s fascinating to me that each time Harry has gotten away from the royal family (and had time and space to focus on healing his humanity) it has made him an even better prince and royal.

  2. Nic919 says:

    Harry low key saying through the use of Overton window that the meaning of being a working royal has shifted over as well. Especially in William’s case, which means not working much either.

    • Hypocrisy says:

      I am impressed with his Overton Window reference all these people who refer to him as “dim” will be googling it I’m sure. Bet Peggy has already had someone read him the definition.

      • Jais says:

        Right? But hasn’t Tina Brown and others referenced how Harry just isn’t that bright. They’re freaking liars with an agenda. Harry is very intelligent and clearly reads.

      • BLACK ELDERBERRY says:

        @NIC919
        What he said is important for another reason. Everyone jumped at Harry for saying in he didn’t want to be a member of the Royal Family. HE NEVER SAID THAT!
        He said he didn’t want to be a “working member of the Royal Family” because—WARNING—he wanted to do something, and that’s why he preferred being in the military, because at least he could be active.
        I don’t know why no one noticed this seemingly contradictory statement, which simultaneously sums up the “working member” of the Royals.
        The word “working” is misleading, as it has nothing to do with work and everything to do with subordination. Besides representing the Queen in the world, which Elizabeth gladly entrusted him with and Harry eagerly did, attempting to take any initiative was a murderous battle with William, who blocked ALL of Harry’s initiatives, on the principle of “I don’t want to do anything, so I won’t let you either.” When Harry registered something for the royal foundation, William would shout “mine” and the initiative would fail.
        Therefore, Harry had long registered initiatives important to him, such as Sentebale and Invictus, for which the Queen and her lawyer helped him, while William was away. Upon his return, William continued to yell that he wouldn’t allow it, and Harry simply said, “It’s already done.” William then went to the Queen several times to ask her to take Harry’s IG and give it to William, and he tried to do so through his lawyers at least twice.

      • Inge says:

        I still think the ‘dim’ bit was to make William look intelligent in comparison.

        William thrived at Eton, Harry would have fitted much better in Gourdeston

  3. Chelsea says:

    Did you see the comment from the EU’s ambassador to Ukraine where she praised Harry as a “a true statesman”? Whew will that get under some people’s skin. The chair of the NATO military committee also called his dedication to injured veterans “inspiring”.

    It doesn’t matter how many Tom Bower hit jobs the Firm orders on Harry; as long as he continues to show up and do the work he will continue to have the respect of the people that matter.

  4. Miranda says:

    This almost feels like Harry is just deliberately f–king with his brother? Which, I’m here for it. Keep making William look not only lazy, but unhinged and jealous and petulant. Show the world what he truly is.

    • Hypocrisy says:

      At this point why not? He has to be beyond done with his brother after the decade long hate campaign WanK has run, with his constant threats of how he will punish Harry’s family. He is the one working Royal that anyone respects for his accomplishments and achievements while the others are just born and play acting for the public by the looks of them.

    • Harla says:

      I don’t think William crossed Harry’s mind once before, during or after this interview. William has made it clear, through various mouthpieces, that he’s done with Harry and I think Harry has accepted that and has moved on.

    • Flamingo says:

      I don’t see it that way, but I understand the sentiment. He was a man raised with a platform to shine light on charities in need. He’s doing exactly what he was born to do He is still Royal, he is still Dianas son. Following in her footsteps.

      Dianas charity work didn’t end in the divorce. No one was screaming she shouldn’t be doing that. I guess because she didn’t have a spouse that was a woman of color.

      So proud of them to continue to forge a path. It seems to me, Harry doesn’t give a pluck what William and Charles thinks of their work. But Charles and William are obsessed with them.

      • Blair Warner says:

        When people who are old enough (or who follow the BRF) hear or read about the Halo Trust, they will forever recall those groundbreaking images of Diana walking through the minefield. I can see them now in my mind, as clear as day.

    • lilirose says:

      Wlliam already gave instruction to go after Harry, in new daily fail article they call him dimwitt sad little lonely boy. There is not one royal who would be called names withouth the approval of the top aka Bulliam

    • BLACK ELDERBERRY says:

      @MIRANDA
      William, in his chicken brain, can’t fathom stripping Harry of his titles, which Will can’t do because that’s what Parliament is for, but let’s assume he relieves Harry of any obligations to the BRF and can easily release those remaining 400 pages 🤣
      It would be hard to blame Harry for this, because these attacks on him and his family are nothing more than constantly providing Harry with ammunition.

  5. Dee(2) says:

    At it’s very base, what he said is true, and what everyone has been saying for years. He is a royal, and he does work quite often. Your inclusion in a family isn’t dependent on whether or not you work in the family business. Either he’s a son, brother, nephew, cousin or he’s not.

    The Overton window comment was very interesting, because I think it ties in directly to the biggest worry / fear of the courtiers and the remaining royals. That what people expect out of ” working” royals has shifted over the years. Taking photos, handing out photos of yourself, bland banalities upon meeting people, in exchange for extreme privilege and financial support isn’t enough.

    The model that he and Meghan are pushing is going to be more of a demand than what UK taxpayers are getting. Even if they hadn’t left, I think he realizes that this shift would have still happened just with generations changing and expectations changing with those generations along with it. But, it’s even more stark now that they are outside of the family’s financial support and protection, and still doing all of these good works.

    • Eurydice says:

      Yes, the courtiers see this, which is why we’ve seen the push to make W&K more “impactful” with Earthshot and Early Years and a host of other ventures. The problem is that W&K are lazy and incapable.

    • Julie says:

      Your comment make me feel like there will be a Harry before this interview and a Harry after this. As Miranda wrote, this also sound like a warning to his brother to stop his antics. And this is great.

    • BLACK ELDERBERRY says:

      @DEE(2)
      All true, with one caveat. If they hadn’t left, this change wouldn’t have happened, because the palaces (both) would never have allowed it. That was Harry’s problem even before Meghan, as a so-called working member of the Royal Family, in other words, a representative, an important one, he was completely under the palace’s control. He can only do what they allow him to do, they only give him as much money as they want… and if Harry was allowed to do something, William would still stand on the podium and say, “I came up with this, mine.”

      That’s why Harry is so dangerous to them now, because he works, earns money, and is constantly involved in initiatives that are important to him and to him, and he has to fight William to implement them, while the public wonders why they pay hundreds of millions of pounds (and with those seabed fees and the like, it runs into the billions) to these slackers who wave and constantly hangover from vacationers in the Tropic.

  6. ana says:

    whether this impacts the trip all depends on the journalists honestly. if people ask trump idiotic questions to try and get a gossip type answer about harry and meghan instead of asking about the falklands, or ukraine, or uk trade deals etc, then he will address that. so they just need the journalists to ask actual questions. similarly, I think we could do better and avoid making it always a comparison to william. let harry stand on his own. I know the tabloids and tom skyes are always going to write idiotic stuff, but somehow we have to let them become irrelevant.

  7. Morning says:

    Harry seems to be speaking up for himself lately. Good for him!

  8. Amy Bee says:

    Harry knows that the idea of a working royal was invented to distinguish him from the rest of the senior royals and it’s explains his comments. He knows that it’s all BS and that he does actual work for a living unlike the rest of the tax-funded royals. I love Harry doesn’t give a damn and will do and say whatever he wants and what he think is right. I saw a GB News tweet trying to push the narrative that his comments mean he wants to return to royal life but I think his comments mean he enjoys the freedom he has now and never return to the life he had in the UK.

  9. Monika says:

    “I will always be part of the royal family and I am here working…”
    That’s the point. They can try to take away whatever they want Harry will always be the son of King Charles III and he always will be working because he wants to support people in neef.

    • Jais says:

      “A royal who works” vs “a working royal.” It’s kind of hilarious bc it’s really about who receives an insane amount of money from the tax-payers. On top of the duchy money.

  10. Jen says:

    Something I really appreciate about the Sussexes is how they work to succeed separately and together.

    I saw a Reddit comment recently that said Meghan really scored with Harry and I don’t disagree, but I also think he scored with her too. Sometimes you find someone that has a similar drive or goals that you have or want to get to and it just works. I hope it continues to do so and I can’t wait to see the impact they continue to make in the future.

    And again, the BRF really REALLY fumbled here.

  11. CM says:

    Prince Harry is evolving. I don’t know where he will end up in history, but he has been reading and listening and learning over the last 6 years, and he is IMPRESSIVE!!!!!

    • katrina says:

      Precisely, what I was thinking. This is kind of accepting and moving on and beyond. Great answer, what is in the heart of things eventually matters, however childishly leftovers are behaving.

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