Prince Harry thought about quitting royal life in his 20s

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prince Harry compared his royal experience to being on “The Truman Show” and “living in a zoo.”

The Duke of Sussex said during a Thursday episode of the “Armchair Expert” podcast that he contemplated quitting royal life on several occasions while in his 20s. He spoke candidly with host Dax Shepard about keeping his relationship with Meghan a secret and dealing with the U.K. media scrutiny.

Harry thought his life was like the 1998 Jim Carrey film “The Truman Show.” The film tells a story about Truman Burbank’s life being televised through hidden cameras while encountering people who were hired actors.

© 2021 Getty Images WINDSOR, ENGLAND – APRIL 17: Prince Harry arrives for the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England. Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in Greece. He served in the British Royal Navy and fought in WWII. He married the then Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 and was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich by King VI. He served as Prince Consort to Queen Elizabeth II until his death on April 9 2021, months short of his 100th birthday. His funeral takes place today at Windsor Castle with only 30 guests invited due to Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. (Photo by Victoria Jones – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Harry said it was a heavy burden and he struggled to deal with being a member of the royal family. He feared that his pregnant wife and son, Archie, would have to deal with the spotlight the same way his late mother, Princess Diana, had to deal with the enormous attention.

In 1997, Diana died in a car crash at the age of 36 in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi.

“I don’t want this job, I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to be doing this. Look what it did to my mum,” the 36-year-old Harry said.

In a previous interview, Harry said the royal family cut him off financially at the start of 2020 after he announced plans to step back from his roles. But he was able to afford security for his family because of the money his mother left behind.

Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties began last year over what they described as the British media’s intrusions and racist attitudes toward the duchess. He criticized some American media outlets but said they are an improvement over the ones in the U.K.

He feels more liberated after he and his family moved to California.

“Living here now I can actually lift my head and actually feel different,” said Harry, who added he’s able to take Archie for bicycle rides. “You can walk around feeling a little bit more free.”