Tejal Somvanshi
If someone with every resource can slip into depression, what does that say about its causes? Prince Harry spoke about his own experience in a MasterClass released on 8 October 2026. Here is exactly what he said, what Princess Diana said about depression in her 1995 interview, and what the NHS says about its causes.
In the MasterClass, “Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss,” Prince Harry told neuroscientist Dr Mary-Frances O’Connor that he moved to Canada in late 2019 with his wife and son Archie “to get some space.” He said that within two or three days of being away from a stressful environment he had an “adrenaline crash.” In his words: “I actually slipped into depression for about two weeks and I felt like I couldn’t function without adrenaline.” He also said: “It was as if I needed stress in order to get the adrenaline to make my brain function because I became useless around the house.”
Depression is a mental health condition, and the NHS says there is no single cause. Life-changing events such as bereavement, losing a job or giving birth can bring it on, and some people become depressed for no obvious reason. The NHS describes depression as feeling persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days. If that sounds familiar, speak to a GP. If you are in crisis, call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK), 988 (US) or Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).
Diana’s account, 30 years earlier
In her 1995 BBC Panorama interview with Martin Bashir, Princess Diana said she had post-natal depression, and described waking up feeling she did not want to get out of bed. She said she had harmed herself because she could not cope with the pressures, and that she had bulimia for a number of years.
Prince Harry, Prince William and Catherine launched Heads Together, a campaign to end stigma around mental health.
Which members of the British Royal Family have spoken about depression? Princess Diana described post-natal depression in her 1995 BBC interview. Prince Harry said in his 2026 MasterClass that he slipped into depression for about two weeks after moving to Canada. Both accounts are in their own words, and neither is a diagnosis made by anyone else.
Harry said an adrenaline crash followed his move to Canada, and he described about two weeks of depression. Diana described post-natal depression nearly three decades earlier. The NHS says depression can have many triggers and can affect anyone.
