Prince Harry has said children should represent an “upgrade” of their parents as he spoke about modern fatherhood and the need for parenting to evolve with changing times.
Prince Harry says children should be an upgrade of their parents
The Duke of Sussex - who shares two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex - made the remarks during an appearance in Australia at an event focused on men’s mental health, where he discussed his experiences as a father and the pressures faced by new parents.
He said parenting cannot remain the same as previous generations because of how much the world has changed, particularly in relation to mental health awareness and social expectations.
Speaking to the BBC, Harry said: “The world around us has changed massively, so there is no version of where parenting is going to be the same as we experienced.
“I see parenting evolving all the time. From my perspective, our kids are our upgrades.
“That’s not how I was taught, but that was my take on it. Not to say I was an upgrade of my dad or that my kids are an upgrade of me.
“That’s the approach that I take, to know that with the world the way that it goes, the kids that we bring up in today’s world need to be an upgrade.”
He added: “Even if you had the best upbringing in the world, the best parenting in the world, there’s still room for improvement.”
Harry also used the appearance to highlight the importance of fathers speaking openly about mental health struggles after having children, warning that stigma can stop men from seeking support.
He said: “For so many years it has been seen as a weakness to stick your hands up. I find it's the opposite. The more grief I get for talking about it, the more I want to stand up and talk about it. I know if I go quiet about it – what does that say to everyone else?”
The Duke’s comments came during a wider visit to Australia with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, combining charitable engagements with private meetings. Meghan was not present at the event.
Harry’s remarks formed part of a discussion at a Movember-backed initiative exploring the mental health of fathers, with researchers highlighting increased risks of isolation and emotional strain in the early years of parenthood.
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