CALGARY — Prince Harry says his move to Canada with Meghan Markle and their young son Archie left him struggling with depression, revealing that he experienced an emotional crash just days after arriving on Vancouver Island.The Duke of Sussex opened up about the experience during a new MasterClass discussion on grief and resilience, released Thursday, reflecting on the emotional toll of stepping away from his royal responsibilities and the pressures that had shaped much of his life.Harry, 42, said he had hoped the family's temporary move to British Columbia in late 2019 would offer some relief from the intense public scrutiny surrounding his marriage and royal duties.Instead, he found himself struggling to function."I actually slipped into depression for about two weeks and I felt like I couldn't function without adrenaline," Harry revealed.According to the prince, the sudden transition from years of high-pressure royal life to a quieter existence in Canada triggered what he described as an "adrenaline crash.".According to the prince, the sudden transition from years of high-pressure royal life to a quieter existence in Canada triggered what he described as an "adrenaline crash."He said the emotional shift began just two or three days after the family arrived, leaving him struggling to adjust to a life without the constant stress he had grown accustomed to.Although his comments centred on his mental health rather than dissatisfaction with Canada itself, the revelation offers a different perspective on a Canadian retreat that had initially been presented as an opportunity for the family to escape the spotlight.Harry and Meghan travelled to Vancouver Island with their infant son Archie in late 2019, spending several weeks away from the United Kingdom amid growing tensions with the British royal family.The couple stayed in a secluded waterfront property on the island, where they hoped to enjoy greater privacy and a more ordinary family life. Their time in Canada came shortly before the announcement that would dramatically reshape their relationship with the monarchy.In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced plans to step back from their roles as senior working members of the Royal Family, a decision that quickly became known as "Megxit.".Canada briefly emerged as a potential long-term home for the couple, but the arrangement was short-lived.By March 2020, Harry, Meghan and Archie had relocated to the United States, eventually settling in Montecito, California.Harry's revelations were part of a broader discussion about grief, trauma and the lasting impact of losing his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997. Speaking with neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor, Harry described how he had struggled to process his mother's death for much of his adult life.He said his experiences serving in Afghanistan had triggered unresolved trauma connected to his childhood, rather than being the original source of his post-traumatic stress. The prince also discussed experiencing panic attacks and emotional numbness, explaining that he had spent years suppressing his grief.The MasterClass, titled Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss, was released ahead of World Mental Health Day on Saturday.Harry also opened up about an unusual method he used to reconnect with memories of his late mother, Princess Diana, revealing that he turned to her favourite perfume during therapy.The Duke of Sussex previously detailed the experience in his 2023 memoir, Spare, explaining that he obtained a bottle of Diana's favourite fragrance, First by Van Cleef & Arpels, after consulting his aunt about which perfume his mother had worn.Harry said he brought the fragrance to a therapy session, where its familiar scent helped trigger memories of his childhood and his mother, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 when he was just 12 years old..The prince revisited the experience during his latest MasterClass discussion, explaining how scent can serve as a powerful connection to memories of loved ones.The revelation adds another dimension to Harry's longstanding struggles with grief and mental health, which he has discussed publicly in interviews, his memoir and the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan.While Harry has described using the perfume during therapy, he has not said that he regularly wore his mother's fragrance.Harry also revealed that he continues to seek guidance from his late mother nearly three decades after her death, sometimes speaking to her while looking at a framed portrait.The Duke of Sussex said he keeps a photograph of Diana taken by French photographer Patrick Demarchelier in 1995, explaining that he feels particularly connected to her expression in the image. He admitted that he sometimes studies the portrait to see whether her facial expression has changed, although it never does.“I can actually get eye contact from her, and there’s a cheekiness in her smile... I just feel very connected to her,” Harry said to PEOPLE.“I find myself looking at her and wondering, what is she thinking about what I am doing right now?” he shares..Following their brief stay in Canada, Harry and Meghan established a new life in California, where they welcomed their second child, Princess Lilibet, in June 2021.However, after approximately six years in the United States, the Sussexes reportedly returned to live in Britain in August 2026.The couple's return marked another significant change following their highly publicized departure from royal duties.Harry's latest comments also offer a glimpse into how his priorities have changed. He revealed that he follows a personal rule of avoiding being separated from Meghan and their two children for more than 10 days.Despite the difficulties he experienced during the family's Canadian stay, Harry did not suggest that Canada itself caused his depression. Rather, he attributed the episode to the sudden absence of the intense stress he had experienced before leaving Britain.His account nevertheless reveals that the family's much-publicized escape to Vancouver Island was not the peaceful transition he had anticipated.
