Princess Delphine of Belgium is voicing her support for Prince Harry as he navigates challenging circumstances.

In the midst of the Duke of Sussex’s ongoing battle for security clearance in the United Kingdom—more than five years after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped away from their royal duties—Princess Delphine has publicly shared her compassion. 

“I really empathize with him; he’s clearly struggling,” Princess Delphine articulated during her appearance on the It’s Reigning Men podcast on July 15. “He’s facing immense pressure, and while people criticize him, they often overlook the deep emotional scars he carries. It’s heartbreaking to witness how he seems to be isolated in his pain.”

The 57-year-old princess, who emerged from the shadows of an extramarital affair involving King Albert II and endured a lengthy battle for royal recognition until it was officially conferred in 2020, suggested that Prince Harry, the devoted father of Prince Archie, age 6, and Princess Lilibet, age 4, continues to grapple with the profound effects of his mother’s tragic passing in 1997. This loss significantly impacted both him and Prince William.

“His mother, Princess Diana, was a beacon of love and nurturing,” Delphine reflected. “The circumstances of her death were profoundly tragic, especially for those two young boys who were left without such an influential maternal figure. They lost an irreplaceable presence, and I genuinely feel for Harry because that experience must have been incredibly traumatic and has shaped him into who he is today.”