The Duke of Sussex was paid for a talk he gave with a neuroscientist on grief and mental health, a source close to him has confirmed, amid claims he was handed up to 100,000 dollars (£75,500) for the session.
Details of the Paid Session
Harry revealed he experienced a two-week period of depression after arriving in Canada before the Megxit crisis, with an “adrenaline crash” after escaping a “stressful environment”, as he spoke with Dr Mary-Frances O’Connor. It was on the MasterClass video learning streaming platform in a session called Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss.
The Daily Mail reported the duke may have received 100,000 dollars plus a share of subscription revenues to the online platform. The cost of an annual MasterClass membership ranges from £120 to £228-a-year.
Source Confirmation and Response
A source close to Harry confirmed he had been paid but said exact details are not discussed. “I’d encourage everyone to watch it before casting any judgment,” they added, and said the duke should not be criticised for “speaking from the heart”.
Hollywood Reporter previously said instructors on the platform make about 100,000 dollars up front and get 30% of the revenue their classes generate.
Personal Revelations and Recent Moves
In the deeply personal exchange released on Thursday, Harry said he left the UK and moved to Canada with Meghan and baby Archie in 2019 to “get some space away from everything”. “I actually slipped into depression for about two weeks and I felt like I couldn’t function without adrenaline,” he said.
The Sussexes stayed on Vancouver Island, before Harry and Meghan quit the working monarchy early in 2020 and eventually moved to the US. In a U-turn, the Sussexes returned to live in the UK last month after six years in America.
