Prince Harry’s first official engagement since Megxit bombshell

Prince Harry has urged men suffering from mental health problems to avoid ‘grinning and bearing it’ ahead of his first major royal engagement since the Megxit bombshell.

The Duke of Sussex made the impassioned plea for men to talk about depression just days after a crisis summit with the Queen at Sandringham in the wake of his decision to quit senior royal duties and move to North America. 

In what could be his final official engagement before joining Meghan Markle and baby Archie in Canada, Harry said: ‘It is not just about being physically fit but more importantly mentally strong. 

‘The perception of rugby league is that you need to be tough. You can’t show your feelings, you need to grin and bear it. 

‘But something like the Mental Fitness Charter will help us make real progress in getting rid of the stigma associated with mental illness,’ he said in a video message for start of a mental health initiative at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup launch.

The prince added: ‘So, I am proud to support the Rugby League World Cup 2021 Mental Fitness Charter.

‘This Charter will build on the brilliant work already happening in rugby league by committing to training and educating all those involved in the tournament, and the wider rugby league family, not only in how they can look after their own mental fitness but also support others to do the same.’ 

Yesterday the Duke posted an Invictus Games video to announce that the ‘story continues’ with Dusseldorf in Germany hosting his charity sports competition for wounded veterans in 2022. 

Harry’s appearance followed the first sighting of Meghan since the Sandringham summit. 

The Duchess, who was absent from the meeting, was seen smiling as she boarded a sea plane on Vancouver Island in Canada yesterday.

The Queen had revealed in a deeply personal statement that she had agreed for Harry and Meghan to begin a ‘new life’ as an ‘independent’ family, a move which Meghan is understood to have pushed for just 20 months after their wedding.

Prince Harry is expected to remain in the UK into early next week to hammer out the details of this unprecedented arrangement before heading back to join Meghan and Archie in Canada where they have been staying at the £10.7 million mansion where the family spent Christmas.

The Queen is said to have pressed for her officials find a solution to this abdication crisis within days, however, royal experts say it will take far longer. 

Meghan is seen for the first time since ‘Megxit’ in Vancouver on Tuesday boarding a sea plane. There was speculation Meghan was barred from dialling in on Monday’s Sandringham summit for security reasons, however Palace sources have said the Sussexes thought ‘it wasn’t necessary for the duchess to join’

The Queen had written in her statement: ‘These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.’  

The extraordinary meeting convened by the Queen was attended by Prince Charles and Prince William, while Meghan was in Canada with Archie.

There was speculation she had been barred from dialling in on the meeting from Vancouver for security reasons, however Palace sources have said the Sussexes decided themselves ‘it wasn’t necessary for the duchess to join.’

Following the summit, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Sussexes were to have a ‘transition period’ and split their time between the UK and Canada. 

Ahead of the Sandringham summit it was reported that Prince Harry and his wife had felt ‘bullied’ by Prince William, a claim which was strenuously denied by the brothers in a joint statement (pictured: the Sussexes and the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace in 2018)

It is not clear how long this period will last, not least because of the complexities involved in their living ‘independent’ of the public purse.

The security bill alone for the Sussexes is estimated at around £1million per annum, meanwhile Harry is thought to draw a salary somewhere in the region of £2.3million each year from his father’s estate, the Duchy of Cornwall.

It also emerged yesterday that Meghan’s father could be a ‘star witness’ when the Duchess takes on Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, at the High Court.