Prince on lookout for his princess
Harry says he’s ready for wife and children
LONDON — Prince Harry would love to have children right now and a wife to “share the pressure,” the 30-year-old admits in one of his frankest interviews to date.
The prince said he would love to have a family like his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, but was not going to force romance to happen.
Speaking during his tour of New Zealand, the prince also said he and Prince William thought it was important to earn a wage and to “work with normal people” to win the public’s respect.
Asked if seeing his brother’s happiness made him want to settle down, he said: “Isn’t that the same for everybody? There comes a time when you think right now’s the time to settle down, or now is not, whatever way it is, but I don’t think you can force these things — it will happen when it’s going to happen.
“Of course, I would love to have kids right now, but there’s a process that one has to go through.
“Tours like this are great fun, hopefully I’m doing all right by myself. It would be great to have someone else next to me to share the pressure. But, you know, the time will come and whatever happens, happens.”
Prince Harry has been single for more than a year after splitting from Cressida Bonas. His only other longterm romance, with Zimbabwean Chelsy Davy, ended in 2010 after six years.
He has previously said it was difficult to find someone who was “willing to take on” the role of being his wife.
Talking about his new niece, Princess Charlotte, he said: “(William) sent me two photos, one before everyone else, which was nice, and then another one with her back with George at home, so I’m so looking forward to seeing her, to meeting her and to holding her; she was a little bit late, hence I missed her, so she’ll have to work on that, but apart from that it’s fantastic news for both of them so I’m thrilled.”
Aides said the prince had decided to grant an interview to the Sky News royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills because he was keen to talk about his decision to leave the army next month.
Speaking about his professional future, the prince said: “It is a crossroads. I’m in the same position now as other people in my year group, or my rank would be in. Most of the guys I joined (the army) with ... have already left, for numerous reasons.
“But it is a case of, if we move on, more responsibilities come. And, I suppose with wanting to take on slightly more of this (royal) role, I don’t really feel I would be in the right position to take on the careers of more soldiers or to take on the responsibility of continuing to fly, for instance.
“With all that comes responsibilities and a lot of your time, which, if I’m doing this kind of stuff, it doesn’t work. And it doesn’t sit comfortably with me knowing I’m off doing something while others are still at work looking after my soldiers. I don’t want people to cover for me.”
He made it clear he wanted to do a regular paid job.
“This part of the role is fantastic but I and William — both of us — feel as though we need to have a wage as well; to work with normal people, to keep us sane, to keep us ticking along. In the future, from our point of view, if we want to make a big contribution, or a valid contribution and be taken seriously, then we need to work alongside other people.”