Prince Harry admits taking his private education for granted: ‘At the time I certainly wasn’t as grateful’

‘Looking back on it now, I’m very, very blessed with having such an amazing opportunity,’ Duke of Sussex says

Prince Harry has admitted he did not appreciate the private education he received when he was younger, saying that he now acknowledges how “very blessed” he was.

On Sunday 11 October, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took part in a video call with female education activist Malala Yousafzai to mark International Day of the Girl, an annual observance that raises awareness of the challenges faced by girls across the globe.

During their conversation, Yousafzai asked Meghan and Prince Harry how education personally impacted their lives growing up.

“I’m hugely grateful for the education I was lucky enough to have,” Prince Harry responded.

“At the time I certainly, probably, wasn’t as grateful. But looking back on it now, I’m very, very blessed with having such an amazing opportunity.”

In response, Yousafzai said that “it takes boys slightly longer to understand how important education is”.

“But they get there in the end,” joked the 23-year-old.

Prince Harry attended Wetherby School during his younger years, before enrolling at Ludgrove School and then Eton College, where his older brother, the Duke of Cambridge, also attended.

During the video chat with Yousafzai, Prince Harry also emphasised the number of girls around the world who do not have access to an education.

“You do take it for granted. And it is a privilege. But every single person, every single child, every single young person across the world needs an education,” the 36-year-old said.

“To know that there’s over 130 million girls out of education right now, before the pandemic, and I think during as well. And the number is only going to go up.”

The duke said that it “worries” him how the world is being impacted by millions of girls missing out on education.

The Duchess of Sussex also stressed the need to promote female education in order to benefit society on the whole.

“I would say for, of course, girls all over the world, but for everyone all over the world, because as you know, and as we believe as well, when young girls have access to education, everyone wins and everyone succeeds,” she said.

“It just opens the door for societal success at the highest level.”

The 39-year-old said that she feels “very grateful” to have gone to school and university, explaining that as she and Prince Harry raise their son Archie, “everything about his nourishment is in terms of educational substance and how you can learn and how you can grow”.

“You know, having the privilege of being able to go to school is something that I think oftentimes is taken for granted,” she stated.

“It’s very difficult for a lot of people to recognise that just the ability to have a schoolbook is a luxury for so many people.”