15 Times Prince Harry Nailed the Realities of Being a Dad

Every parent wants their kid to grow up in the best possible world, including Prince Harry. In 2019, when Archie was on the way, Harry gave a speech in which he shared his hopes for making the world better for his child and all children. We can all relate to the hope for the world to be safe and sustainable for the next generation.

We often hear about women getting a pregnancy glow, but we can't help but notice that Harry was glowing like a light bulb when he talked about the birth of his first child. We love a giddy new dad — royal or not — and Harry is a classic example of the reality of new father joy.

Of course Harry adores both of his kids, but we couldn't help but smile seeing him rocking a "Girl Dad" T-shirt in this video clip from Travalyst. There really is something special about fathers who are excited to raise strong, independent daughters.

In 2021, while presenting at the WellChild Awards, Harry was overheard bonding with singer Ed Sheeran about the realities of having more than one child. ITV News reported that Harry described having two kids as "definitely a juggle." Isn't that the truth!

Harry understands the reality that kids are a joy and also a lot of work. People reported that he and Meghan aren't planning to have a big family, explaining that when a fan of the couple suggested that they have five children, Harry laughed and said, "Five children? — too many." There is something to be said about knowing one's limits when it comes to parenting.

There is one inescapable reality of dad life: dad jokes. Dad jokes are the corny or groan-worthy attempts at humor that men apparently just can't stop themselves from making. For Harry, that impulse kicked in while Meghan was still pregnant. The Evening Standard reported that while on tour in Morocco, "a teacher congratulated the pair on their pregnancy. Harry responded in mock surprise, 'She's pregnant?' Meghan put her acting skills to work and rolled with it, placing a hand on his back as she responded, 'Surprise!'
'Is it mine?' he asked."

See? Dad joke genes kicking in early for Harry!

One of the sweeter realities of dad life is just how proud they can be when their little ones hit those big life milestones. Harry was in full dad brag mode in April 2022 when he shared with People that little Lilibet started walking at just 10 months old.

Even before he was a dad, Harry's royal service was often focused on kids. He told People that kids are the "upgrade of us," adding: "All the amazing things that are going to happen in the future, it's all going to be them." It's a sentiment that is no doubt even more relevant to him now that he is helping to raise the next generation.

One of the realities of parenting life that Harry (and other white parents in mixed-race relationships) has learned is that there can be an increased sense of awareness that the world still isn't fully welcoming for children who aren't white and that parents have an obligation to try to make it better. He spoke about this reality in his Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.

"My son, my daughter, my children are mixed race, and I'm really proud of that. When my kids grow up and they look back at this moment and they turn to me and say, 'What did you do in this moment?' I want to be able to give them an answer," he explained.

There may be no dad reality more basic than the strong desire to protect one's children. Harry has been the target of a lot of unfair criticism for his choice to distance himself from the royal family and to leave the UK, but it's clear that he made that choice in a desire to protect his kids. "I accept that there will be people around the world who fundamentally disagree with what I've done and how I've done it, but I knew that I had to do everything I could to protect my family, especially after what happened to my mom," he said in Harry & Meghan.

Having kids is an amazing and all-consuming experience, and Harry has nailed one of the less fun realities of parenting life: that it can be hard to find the time for hobbies and self-care when we are in the thick of raising little ones. Us Weekly reported that Harry confided during a BetterUp event in February 2022 that he tries to meditate on a daily basis but that time for self-care is "the first thing that drops away" with little kids at home.

For moms and dads who have lost a loved one, the reality is that parenting can be bittersweet, especially knowing that a child will never have a chance to meet that person. Harry shared that reality in his Apple TV+ docuseries, The Me You Can't See, explaining how son Archie knows who his famous grandmother is. "I've got a photo up in his nursery, and one of the first words that he said, apart from 'Mama' and 'Papa,' was then 'Grandma.' Grandma Diana. It's the sweetest thing, but at the same time, it makes me really sad because she should be here."

One of the biggest mysteries of becoming a dad is wondering which genes will show up for duty when a new baby is created. Harry recently chatted about this with Stephen Colbert. "The ginger gene is a strong one. The Spencer gene is very, very strong," he told the late-night host in January 2022. "I actually really, genuinely thought at the beginning of my relationship [with Meghan Markle] that should this go the distance and we have kids that there's no way the ginger gene will stand up to my wife's genes, but I was wrong."

No matter what hopes and dreams most of us have for our kids, there is probably at least one common thread: We want to raise good people. Harry spoke eloquently about this reality when he revealed to some young reporters the life advice that he plans to give son Archie. "What I remind him is that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it's your character that matters most. And nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us: YOU," he said.

For many of us parents who grew up before social media and the internet dominated every aspect of life, the reality is that we're nervous about what living life totally online will do to our kids. Harry revealed that, as a dad, he worries about the same thing. "As parents, my wife and I are concerned about the next generation growing up in a world where they are treated as digital experiments for companies to make money and where things like hatred and harm are somehow normalized," he explained.