HARRY TELLS AUSTRALIANS HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE A ROYAL AS MEGHAN SAYS SHE WAS BULLIED ONLINE 'EVERY DAY FOR 10 YEARS' AND BECAME 'MOST TROLLED PERSON IN THE WORLD'. (PHOTO).

 Harry tells Australians he didn't want to be a royal as Meghan says she was bullied online 'every day for 10 years' and became 'most trolled person in the world'

Prince Harry has shared deeply personal reflections during his visit to Australia, speaking candidly about grief, mental health, and why he never wanted life as a working royal.

Addressing guests at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne, the Duke of Sussex said the path once laid out for him was never something he embraced, especially after the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, shortly before his 13th birthday.

According to Harry, that period left him resistant to the role that came with royal life.

“I did not want that role,” he told the audience. “After losing my mum so young, I struggled with where everything was heading.”

He explained that for years he chose to shut himself off emotionally, describing it as having his “head in the sand.” Over time, however, his perspective changed as he began to think about how his platform and experiences could be used to make a difference.

Harry said one question stayed with him: what would his mother have wanted for him?

That thought, he noted, helped shape the decisions that later led him and Meghan to step back from royal duties and build a new life in the United States.

The duke also spoke openly about the emotional weight he has carried over the years.

“There have been moments when I felt overwhelmed, powerless and betrayed,” he said, adding that grief does not simply disappear when ignored.

He described the pressure of having to keep going in public even during deeply difficult moments, saying many people can relate to feeling as though they must appear fine while struggling privately.

Harry added that becoming a father changed how he views emotional wellbeing.

“When a parent is under pressure, children feel it too,” he said. “That made me realise how important it is to seek help.”

He stressed that asking for support should be seen as strength rather than weakness.

Earlier in the day, Meghan Markle also shared personal remarks during a discussion with students at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology, where the couple addressed social media and mental health.

Meghan said she had spent years facing relentless online abuse.

“For ten years, every day, I was bullied and attacked online,” she said. “I can speak about it personally because it is something I lived through.”

Her comments came as the couple encouraged young people to remain resilient in the face of online pressure and digital hostility.

Harry later praised Australia’s restrictions on social media use for under-16s, describing the move as responsible leadership.

The duke also spoke about how living away from major cities has helped his own mental wellbeing.

“I’m not a city person,” he said. “My mental health could not handle living in a city.”

The Melbourne stop marked the final leg of the couple’s engagements in the city before continuing their Australian visit in Sydney.