Prince Harry has disclosed that his infant son Prince Archie would begin weeping the moment he picked him up after a stressful day at work.
The Duke of Sussex shared this intimate detail whilst speaking at a Movember charity gathering in Melbourne on Wednesday.
"Every single time I went to work and when I came back, if I was stressed, the moment that I held Archie, he would start crying," the 41-year-old revealed.
The candid admission illustrated how acutely babies can detect their parents' emotional state, with young Archie apparently able to sense his father's tension immediately upon contact.
Prince Archie would 'start crying' after detecting Prince Harry's stress levels in candid admission
|INSTAGRAM: @MEGHAN / GETTY
The duke made these revelations during his appearance at the Whitten Oval, home ground of the Australian rules football club Western Bulldogs, where he met with representatives from the men's mental health organisation.
During the event focused on fatherhood, the prince opened up about experiencing a sense of disconnection following Archie's arrival in May 2019.
He explained that therapy had been instrumental in helping him prepare for becoming a parent, stating he needed to address unresolved issues from his past before welcoming children.
"Certainly from a therapy standpoint, you want to be the best version of yourself for your kids," Harry told the audience.
Prince Harry speaking at Movember in Australia
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"And I knew that I had stuff from the past that I needed to deal with, and therefore prepare myself to basically cleanse myself of the past."
The prince revealed that his UK-based therapist offered crucial guidance ahead of Archie's birth, advising him simply to remain conscious of his emotions once the baby arrived.
Reflecting on those initial weeks of parenthood, Harry acknowledged struggling with feelings of distance from the experience.
"Certainly, I felt a disconnection because my wife was the one creating life. And I was there to witness it," he admitted.
Prince Archie was born in May 2019 in London
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The duke also spoke directly to fathers navigating the challenges of raising children, reassuring them that their experiences are shared by countless others.
"To the dads and soon-to-be dads: yes, it's messy. You'll have a rollercoaster of emotions, and don't judge yourself," he said.
Harry expressed hope that Movember's work would give people confidence that their feelings are common among the majority of parents.
The Duke of Sussex drew comparisons between his own approach to raising children and that of his mother and father
| GETTYHe described the transition into fatherhood as profoundly significant, calling it "the most important and sort of transformational role that a guy can ever move into."
The prince urged more fathers to speak openly about their emotional wellbeing.
This trip marks the first time Harry and his wife, Meghan, have returned to Australia since their 2018 royal tour.