Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Prince Harry Describes Grief, Depression and Recovery After Loss
Prince Harry talked about how hard it was when his mother died.
For a long time, he did not know how to handle his sadness.
He sometimes thought he had to stay sad to show that he missed her.
He said he went through a short period of depression after moving to Canada in 2019.
Therapy helped him face the feelings he had kept inside.
A counsellor suggested that he smell his mother's perfume.
Harry said this helped him understand that his mother wanted him to be happy.
Neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor explained that our brains can take time to understand that someone has died.
Prince Harry said he felt emotionally numb after his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, died when he was 12.
He said he felt guilty about being happy because he thought sadness proved he missed his mother.
Harry recalled that after moving to Canada in 2019, he experienced a physical and emotional crash and about two weeks of depression.
He said he had not cried again after his mother's funeral for nearly 20 years and later used therapy to process his grief.
In a MasterClass session, neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor discussed how the brain can continue to expect a deceased loved one to return.
- Who
- Prince Harry, in a session featuring neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor.
- What
- Harry discussed grief over his mother’s death, depression after relocating to Canada, and recovery through therapy.
- When
- He described moving to Canada in 2019 and a session filmed in California over the summer; no year for the filming is stated.
- Where
- The session was filmed in California; Harry described his experience after relocating to Canada.
- Why
- He spoke about how he processed his mother's death and his mental health.
- Speaker
- Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex
- Subject
- Grief, depression, and recovery
- Mother
- Diana, Princess of Wales
- Age when his mother died
- 12
- Move to Canada
- 2019
- Depression period
- About two weeks, according to Harry
- Session
- MasterClass series Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss
- Neuroscientist
- Mary-Frances O'Connor, a University of Arizona professor