Royal fans and trolls are debating Prince Harry's latest comments – in which he offers up life advice – with some branding them out of touch with reality, while others are saying that Prince Charles' youngest son is merely fighting for an important cause.
While discussing his role as Chief Impact Officer at BetterUp, a coaching, tech and mental health services start-up based in Silicon Valley, Prince Harry commented on 'the Great Resignation' that has followed the pandemic and a series of lockdowns. It's thought that after having a little more time and space to think, many have handed in their notice at work in pursuit of finding something else that makes them happier.
Speaking about this big cultural shift, Harry said during his new Q&A with Fast Company that he supports leaving a job if it doesn't benefit your mental health – and this is where the debate kicks in.
"While on the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues [such as burnout] to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time," the Prince said. "We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening... People are finally paying attention, and a big component of this mission [at BetterUp] is building awareness and continuing to pioneer the conversation."
He then added, "A lot of job resignations... aren’t all bad. In fact, it is a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change. Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated."
Taking to social media (but of course – where else?) plenty weighed in on Harry's remarks, with some saying, in a nutshell, it's alright for him to advocate collecting your P45, seeing as he's a literal multi-millionaire prince, but upping sticks and leaving your 9 to 5 isn't always practical for us average Joes.
"Prince Harry says if you’re unhappy at work quit your job as it will be liberating. Helps if you have a £20m @netflix contract and live in a £15m mansion," one commentator wrote on Twitter, with many jumping in the replies to agree.
Another chimed in with, "Astounding naivety from Prince Harry. He obviously can’t comprehend that the majority of us need to work to feed our families regardless of being happy or not!"
However, others really backed what Harry was saying, with one person tweeting, "Brilliant! Prince Harry [is] such an asset to the mental health cause - yes some relationships including jobs do undermine mental health and a way out must be a viable option."
A further person shared the Prince's Q&A, along with their own story, remarking, "I can testify to this. Looking back now I have no regrets. I made the best decision for me. I have my tiny little handmade business. It's not easy but I am very grateful. I pay my tax like everyone else. Hopefully in the near future I can hire someone."
It's certainly sparked an interesting debate at least?
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
