A European royal has stepped forward to voice her support for Prince Harry, criticizing the way he’s been treated in the media and public eye.
Prince Harry, 40, and his wife Meghan Markle, 43, have faced ongoing tensions with the royal family in recent years. Since relocating to California in June 2020 with their two children—six-year-old Archie and three-year-old Lilibet—appearances with the rest of the royal family have been few and far between.
“He’s Just Traumatised”
But now, someone with her own experience of royal estrangement is standing up for Harry. During a recent episode of the It’s Reigning Men podcast, Princess Delphine of Belgium shared her thoughts on the Duke of Sussex with host Daniel Rosney, expressing compassion and concern.
“I think there is this thing about security. I think it’s to do with what happened to his mother,” she said. “I understand the guy. He’s just traumatised.”
She continued, “And I understand, so he’s doing these things, and everybody’s bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma. And I just find it terrible because he’s just been kind of left.”
A Deeply Personal Connection to Diana’s Legacy
Reflecting on the death of Princess Diana, the Belgian royal shared how closely she had followed Diana’s life and felt a deep sympathy for Harry.
“I do follow a little bit of Harry because Lady Diana was just part of my life when I was in England,” she said. “Then she had these children and everything, and then this death was just horrible. Especially seeing these two children left by a very, I thought, natural, nice, normal motherly woman.”
“They lost such an important figure, and I feel very sorry for Harry because I think that was traumatic for him. William didn’t have a choice. I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised and it’s coming out now.”
Why Princess Delphine Understands Harry and Meghan
Princess Delphine’s sympathy for Harry likely stems from her own experience with royal rejection and media attention. As the half-sister of King Philippe of Belgium, Delphine had her life turned upside down when a 1999 book revealed that King Albert II may have fathered a child out of wedlock.
After the press tracked her down, Delphine began a nearly two-decade-long legal battle to prove King Albert was her biological father. It wasn’t until a DNA test confirmed her paternity that her claims were validated.
Years of Struggle and Vindication
The professional artist explained how the ordeal impacted her deeply: “Everyone turned against me,” she shared, adding that her “career suffered enormously.”
Eventually, five years ago, she won a historic court ruling that granted her the official title of ‘Princess’ and the honorific ‘Her Royal Highness.’
Delphine’s personal battle for recognition and acceptance within a royal family gives her a unique perspective—and a reason to defend Harry and Meghan against their own critics.
