Prince Harry Compares Being a Royal to Being ‘in a Zoo’ Amid Family Drama: ‘It’s the Job’

Not holding back. Prince Harry spoke out about his upbringing as a royal and compared it to “being in a zoo” amid the ongoing drama and his estranged relationship with the family.

The Duke of Sussex, 36, appeared on the Thursday, May 13, episode of Dax Shepard‘s “Armchair Expert” podcast and got candid with the host, 46, and cohost Monica Padman about what his life was life as a royal. Harry called it “a mix between The Truman Show and being in a zoo.” When Monica, 32, asked Harry if he would liken his experiences as part of the Royal Family to “being in a cage,” he responded, “It’s the job right? Grin and bear it. Get on with it.”

“I was in my early twenties and I was thinking 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 [Princess Diana], how am I ever going to settle down and have a wife and family when I know it’s going to happen again,” the soon-to-be father of two added. “I’ve seen behind the curtain, I’ve seen the business model I know how this operation runs and how it works. I don’t want to be part of this.”

Harry noted that his “biggest issue” was “being born into it, you inherit the risk that comes with it … without choice.”

In January 2020, Harry and his pregnant wife, Meghan Markle, announced their plans to step away from the royal family. A little over a year later, Buckingham Palace announced on February 19 that the couple would “not be returning as working members of the royal family.” The family has The duo has since moved to California and is gearing up to welcome their second child together, a baby girl. Harry and Meghan, 39, already share 2-year-old son Archie.

“Living [in Los Angeles] now, I can actually lift my head and actually I feel different,” Harry told the podcast hosts. “My shoulders have dropped. So have hers. I can walk around feeling a little more free. I get to take Archie on the back of my bicycle. I never had the chance to do that.”

Harry also touched on his mental health struggles — a frequent “Armchair Expert” theme — and revealed that the former Suits actress urged him to try therapy, which he said has really helped.

“Suddenly, there was like the bubble was burst. I plucked my head out of the sand, gave a good shake off. And I was like, ‘OK, you’re in this position of privilege. Stop complaining or stop thinking as though you want something different. Make this different,'” he recalled. “Now looking back at it, I realized that helping other people helped me.”