FAMILY INTERVENTION
Worried over his emotional state, the royal family tries to help Prince Harry.
Prince Harry was fed up. During a candid interview for the documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, the Duke of Sussex didn’t pull any punches about what life in the spotlight is really like for him and wife Meghan Markle. Admitting to a rift with his brother, William, Harry also revealed he’s struggling with his mental health. “I thought I was out of the woods and then suddenly it all came back,” he said, adding that dealing with the stress has been a matter of “constant management.”
The revelations have left the royals reeling — and very concerned about Harry’s emotional state. Now, an insider tells Life & Style those close to the 35-year-old are desperately trying to help him — before it’s too late. “Harry’s showing all the signs of hitting rock bottom,” says the insider. “His family is worried sick.” Bringing him back from the brink is proving difficult, though. “They’ve offered advice, staged an intervention — but nothing’s working,” says the insider. “Even Queen Elizabeth II’S efforts to intervene have gone nowhere. They’re urging him to seek professional help so he can overcome his demons.”
END OF HIS ROPE
William is especially anxious about his sibling’s well-being. In 2017, Harry admitted to coming “very close to numerous breakdowns” during his 20s. Despite his anger at Harry for airing their dirty laundry (Harry said he and William have “good days and bad days” and are “on different paths” in the new doc), William, 37, fears Harry is headed down a slippery slope. “Harry knows portraying royal family members in a negative light is a huge no-no,” says the insider. “It’s just out of character for Harry, too. William is scared he’s buckling under the pressure.”
Some are blaming Meghan, 38, for Harry’s recent behavior. The couple, who wed in 2018, recently announced they’re suing British newspapers for printing unflattering stories, which the pair claim are untrue. “William questions whether Meghan is stirring the pot,” says the insider. “Harry wasn’t like this before she came into the picture.”
But now everyone’s in a panic over what Harry might say next. William’s wife, Kate Middleton, is “particularly terrified” he’ll open up about her feud with Meghan, says the insider, noting that Kate, 37, was asked to extend an olive branch to Meghan, but the Duchess of Cambridge thought the former Suits actress might use her efforts against her. “She’s afraid Meghan will spin whatever she says to make Kate look like the villain.”
At the end of the day, though, the royals are genuinely concerned about Harry and Meghan, regardless of how they may be affecting the monarchy’s reputation. “They hate seeing Harry and Meghan so miserable,” says the insider, “and really want to help.”
As Prince Harry continues to lash out against royal life, his concerned family tries to step in