WATCH | ‘We never walked away’: Prince Harry gets candid in James Corden interview

Prince Harry has denied claims he walked away from the British royal family and duties, instead insisting it was rather “stepping back” and not “stepping down”.

The Duke of Sussex confessed this during a candid but hilarious appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

The interview saw Harry and Corden take an open bus tour of Los Angeles while discussing a range of issues, including the prince’s life in California, raising his son Archie and their decision to step back from royal duty.

Corden kicked things off with a tea “session” aboard the bus before showing Harry sites and stars’ houses along the way. The two then made a pit-stop at the house featured in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where Corden humorously suggested Harry and his wife Meghan make an offer to purchase the house. 

Things got serious when the duo touched on the subject of the couple’s split from the royal family, which was finalised earlier this month.

Harry denied the couple walked away, instead saying they viewed it as “stepping back”.

“It was a really difficult environment, as I think a lot of people saw. We all know what the British press can be like and it was destroying my mental health. Really this is toxic.

“So I did what any husband and what any father would do, but we never walked away. I will never walk away. I will always be contributing but my life is public service.”

Things then took a turn for the hilarious when Corden and Harry went to a military obstacle course, where an inept Corden struggled to keep up with the duke, who has had military training. 

Harry’s appearance comes a month before he and Meghan, who is expecting the couple’s second child, sit down for a “wide-ranging” interview with the queen of talk shows, Oprah Winfrey. 

The interview will cover issues including their fairytale wedding, their expanding family, Megxit and their future hopes. It will air on CBS on March 7. 

Additional reporting by Reuters

TimesLIVE