money Prince Harry opens up about "toxic" U.K. press
James Corden had a unique interview on "The Late Late Show" Thursday night, sitting down with a royal on a sightseeing bus in Los Angeles. Corden spent the day with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, who opened up about why he and his wife, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex, stepped back from their royal duties.
The interview started out lighthearted, with the two sipping tea on a double-decker bus, and Harry spoke candidly about why he and Meghan moved with their son, Archie, out of U.K. last year. "We all know what the British press can be like and it was destroying my mental health," Harry, who now lives in California, told Corden.
"I was like, this is so toxic," Harry continued. "So I did what any husband and any father would do and be like I need to get my family out of here. But we never walked away as far as I'm concerned whatever decisions were made on that side – I will never walk away. I will always be contributing, my life is public service, wherever I am in the world it's going to be the same thing."
While the couple announced last January that they were stepping back as "senior" members of the royal family and would work to become financially independent, there was a plan to review the arrangements after 12 months.
Just weeks before a 12-month trial separation was set to end, Buckingham Palace made the announcement after Harry confirmed to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, that he and Meghan would formally and finally step away from their royal duties
"Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said. "While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family."
The couple has dealt with their privacy issues legally, with Meghan recently winning a lawsuit against the owner of the Mail on Sunday.
A U.K. court ruled earlier this month that the paper violated her right to privacy by publishing extracts of a personal letter she wrote to her father after she married Prince Harry. Meghan said she was grateful that the tabloid was being held accountable for what she called "dehumanizing practices."
Harry made other revelations in the Corden interview, describing what a typical night at home is like. After giving Archie a bath and reading him a book, the couple has dinner, then they "go upstairs, sit in bed, turn the TV on, watch some 'Jeopardy!,' maybe watch a little Netflix."
He also said he's "way more comfortable with 'The Crown,'" a show that chronicles the royals, than he is seeing stories about himself and his family. Harry called the show "fictional" and "loosely based on the truth."
He said the show is a rough idea what the lifestyle of the royals is like and what it's like "putting duty and service above everything else."
Roya Nikkah, royal correspondent for the Sunday Times newspaper, told CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab how she suspects the royals are reacting to Harry's candid interview. "I think they are probably quite resigned at the moment that we are going to hear a lot from the couple about that split from the royal family in the coming weeks," Nikkah said. "There's no doubt that it's probably a little uncomfortable for the palace at the moment, but they were expecting it."
Prince Harry and Meghan will sit down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview that will air on CBS on Sunday, March 7.
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