Prince Harry revealed that he almost “wanted out” of the British monarchy, and we get why

In the latest of a string of open and candid moves, Prince Harry has shared how he “wanted out” of the monarchy at one point in his life, and we totally get where he’s coming from.

While the idea of being royalty, of course, has its perks, we know from Harry’s previous interviews that he’s struggled immensely with the fame and expectations that were weighed on him. The 32-year-old has recently shared how, after the sad passing of his mother 20 years ago, he suffered from panic attacks, and has spoke about his own struggles with mental health problems in the past.

Now in a new interview with The Mail on Sunday, Prince Harry has shared how there were times when he wanted to quit the monarchy.

Harry said that for years he was partying too much and getting in to trouble as he didn’t want to grow up.

“I felt I wanted out but then decided to stay in and work out a role for myself,” he admitted.

It was his grandmother, her royal highness Queen Elizabeth II, who helped convince Harry to stick it out.

“[My Family and I] don’t want to be just a bunch of celebrities,” he explained, “but instead use our role for good.”

Speaking openly about the time that he felt that he was done with being a royal, Prince Harry recalled a moment in 2008 when it was revealed in the press that he was serving with the British Army in Afghanistan. The revelation meant that he had to leave the country and return to the U.K.

“I felt very resentful,” he said. “Being in the Army was the best escape I’ve ever had. I felt as though I was really achieving something.I have a deep understanding of all sorts of people from different backgrounds and felt I was part of a team. [In the Army] I wasn’t a Prince, I was just Harry.”

While we can’t understand what it must be like to grow up with your life under a microscope like the royal family have, we do get what Prince Harry is saying, and we do understand why, despite some of the perks, it could be overwhelming and frustrating to be that famous. As we know, fame is something that has both a light and dark side.

However, it seems that now Harry has taken on his role of Prince, and, along with his brother William, is hoping to modernize the monarchy.

“We want to make sure the Monarchy lasts and are passionate about what it stands for,” he said. “But it can’t go on as it has done under the Queen. There will be changes and pressure to get them right.”

Part of this, we’re sure, comes with his, Prince William, and Princess Kate’s Head’s Together campaign, which aims to “help people feel much more comfortable with their everyday mental wellbeing,” and support those with mental health problems.

While there’s clearly still a lot of mystery surrounding the royal family, we like that Harry is allowing some of those defences to drop, and giving us a peak into the *real* people behind the titles.