Prince Harry reveals how he coped with Meghan’s suicidal feelings and preaches the importance of saying ‘you’re not alone’ as he reunites with Oprah for episode ‘reflecting’ on their five-part Apple TV show
- Prince Harry and Oprah reunited for a town hall episode following the conclusion of their Apple+ TV series on mental health
- The Prince told the talk show queen that he now feels better equipped to discuss suicide
- Earlier in the series he felt ‘ashamed’ that he didn’t know how to deal with Meghan Markle’s suicide confession
- He told Oprah in the bonus episode – released on Thursday – that he now knows the best thing a person can do is to tell a suicidal person that ‘you are not alone’
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Prince Harry revealed today how he coped with his wife Meghan Meghan feeling like she wanted to kill herself as he spoke about the importance of telling a suicidal person that they are ‘not alone’.
Speaking with Oprah Winfrey on Apple TV+, the Duke of Sussex explained that he now feels better equipped to know how to respond to someone who tells him they are thinking about ending their own life.
It comes a week after Harry confessed in an episode of his ‘The Me You Can’t See’ documentary series that he did not know how to react when Meghan told him in early 2019 that she was feeling suicidal.
In the new episode released today, Harry and Oprah agreed that the best piece of advice they learned while filming the mental health docuseries was to tell a suicidal person that they are ‘not alone’.
‘So many people are afraid of being on the receiving end of that conversation [from a suicidal person] because they don’t feel like they have the right tools to give the right advice,’ Harry stated.
‘But what you want to say is ‘You’re there’. Listen, because listening and being part of that conversation is without doubt the best first step that you can take.’
Prince Harry has spoken candidly about how he dealt with learning Meghan Markle was feeling suicidal during a new episode of his Apple+ TV series
Harry and Meghan are pictured on January 16, 2019 – the night she told him she was suicidal
In an episode released last week, Harry recalled the moment a pregnant Meghan told him that she wanted to kill herself. She revealed the news shortly before an engagement at Royal Albert Hall in January 2019.
‘I’m somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,’ Harry revealed.
‘And of course, because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed to jump in a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event. Then step out into a wall of cameras and pretend as though everything’s okay.’
Today’s bonus episode of The Me You Can’t See also featured conversations with mental health experts and celebrities about suicide.
Actress Glenn Close made an appearance, saying it was important to talk openly about the struggles of suicidal ideation.
Close admitted that she felt some shame for not realizing a family member had been struggling with their mental health.
Harry chimed in, stating: ‘There’s an element of shame that we feel because we’re like ‘How could we have not have seen it? How could we not know? How did you not feel comfortable enough to share that with me?”
He did not saying whether he was directly referring to his own reaction to Meghan telling him that she no longer wanted to live.
The town hall episode also featured conversations with mental health experts, who also spoke about suicide
Actress Glenn Close also made an appearance, saying it was important to talk openly about mental health issues and suicidal ideation
Elsewhere in the 90-minute episode, Harry revealed he has bonded with Zak Williams – the son of actor Robin Williams, who lost his life to suicide back in 2014.
In the series, people from around the world discussed their experiences battling issues of depression, trauma, anxiety, and mental illness, and included famous faces like Lady Gaga, Glenn Close, and NBA star DeMar DeRozan.
During the series, Harry said therapy helped him ‘break the cycle.’
‘For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything,’ he said.
‘I knew if I didn’t do the therapy and fix myself I would lose this woman I could see spending the rest of my life [with].’
He says his family tried to prevent him and Meghan from leaving when she was suicidal and admits to drinking and doing drugs in his 30s.
‘Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, ‘You can’t do this,’ Harry told Oprah.
‘And it’s like, ‘Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?’
‘She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn’t have to get to that.’
When asked if he has any regrets, he says it is not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle.
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