Prince Harry Apparently Doesn't Want Archie to Grow Up Feeling "Constrained" by Royal Duties Like He Did

Part of Prince Harry's reasoning for stepping back from royal duties was reportedly his desire for son Archie Harrison to grow up free from the constraints of royal duties.

The Duke & Duchess Of Sussex Pose With Their Newborn Son
(Image credit: WPA Pool)
  • Even though the decision shocked many around the world, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal exit wasn't a surprise to those who know them well.
  • In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4, legendary primatologist Jane Goodall revealed that the announcement "didn't surprise" her at all.
  • Harry interviewed Goodall for the "Forces of Change" issue of Vogue that Meghan guest edited last year. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family was not a surprise to many of the people closest to the couple.

Legendary primatologist Jane Goodall weighed in on the move during a recent appearance on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, saying that it "didn't surprise" her, according to The Sun.

"I know that Prince Harry really felt constrained and he desperately wants little Archie to grow up away from all the pomp and royalty," Goodall said of the decision.

Goodall was among the famous voices Meghan included in her guest-edited issue of British Vogue last year. The issue's theme was "Forces of Change."

Even though Meghan was the guest editor of the issue, it was actually Harry who interviewed Goodall for the magazine.

"I gather that Meghan wanted to interview me and he said, 'No, I'm going to interview Jane,'" Goodall joked during the BBC Radio 4 interview.

Harry and Goodall clearly connected during the interview, which took place when she visited the couple at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage. It was during that discussion, for example, that Harry revealed his and Meghan's decision to have no more than two children, for environmental reasons. Goodall hinted that the topic of Archie and the constraints of royal living might have come up during that conversation.

Although she kept things vague for the most part, the famed scientist didn't hold back when it came to praising Harry as a person—and an interviewer.

"I think he's a wonderful, wonderful person and we had a great interview," she gushed.

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Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.