Prince Harry tells of struggle when son Archie was born at talk on men's mental health panel during Australian quasi-Royal tour - but Meghan is nowhere to be seen

Published: 06:16, 15 April 2026 | Updated: 06:29, 15 April 2026 Prince Harry opened up about his struggles with fatherhood on Wednesday as his and Meghan Markle's pseudo-royal trip Down Under entered its second day - but the Duchess was nowhere to be seen.  The Duke of Sussex spoke candidly at a Movember mental health event at the Whitten Oval, home of AFL club the Western Oval, in Melbourne.  It came as questions continued to mount over the purpose of the Sussexes privately-funded tour of Australia, which some have claimed has merely been organised for their commercial benefit.  Speaking as Archie and Lilibet stayed home in Los Angeles, Harry admitted at times 'it was a struggle' after his eldest's birth in 2019.  'It's the most important and transformational role a guy can ever move into,' he said.  'The role, gives you purpose. Those days, weeks, after birth are a real struggle. 'If I was stressed, the moment I held Archie…he would notice it quicker than I could.'  The prince, who stepped back alongside his wife as a working royal in 2020, also spoke openly about attending therapy.  'You're not alone,' he said in Melbourne. 'For me, [going to therapy] was a sign of strength, not weakness. Prince Harry opened up about his struggles with fatherhood on Wednesday as his and Meghan Markle's pseudo-royal trip Down Under entered its second day The Duke of Sussex travelled to the home of AFL side Western Bulldogs to attend a Movember event After speaking about his struggles with fatherhood, Harry was pictured kicking a ball around outside He appeared in good spirits - but Meghan Markle was nowhere to be seen The Prince also held up a scarf with the Western Bulldogs' branding printed across it 'Don't ever let yourself get to the point where you are no use to anybody. You want to be the best version of yourself for your kids.' Harry was pictured getting into the Aussie spirit after his speech as he spent 20 minutes kicking a football around with the Western Bulldogs.  The Prince later boarded a Qantas flip to Canberra, where his tour Down Under continued with a visit to the Australian War memorial.  After being welcomed by Indigenous veterans, the 41-year-old took part in wreath-laying and smoking ceremonies before being escorted inside for a private tour of the museum.  There was, however, no sign of Meghan as mystery mounts over her movements with no events listed today on her official itinerary.  After landing on a business class flight from LA on Tuesday morning, the Duchess accompanied the Duke on a visit to Melbourne's children's hospital to meet cancer patients.  Later in the day, she went solo as she served frittata at a women's refuge wearing £1,100 heart earrings, Princess Diana 's Cartier watch and a Tiffany gold bracelet before the couple reunited for a family craft session at the National Veterans Arts Museum. Reports suggest that Meghan could be potentially holding private meetings with potential buyers and partners on Wednesday after her brand As Ever was recently trademarked in Australia.  The trip marks the couple's first Down Under since they were newly-weds some eight years ago, though the Sussexes are thought to have been left frustrated by the controversy it has caused.  Prior to Harry and Meghan even touching down in Melbourne, their visit sparked backlash from local politicians over publicly-funded police protection.  Meghan and Harry have insisted their trip is privately-funded since they are no longer working royals, but politicians have argued the public should not be paying for their police protection.  The Duke later boarded a flight to Canberra ready for a visit to the Australian War Memorial The 41-year-old took part in wreath-laying and smoking ceremonies before being escorted inside for a private tour of the museum The Duke was welcomed to the site by Indigenous war veterans There was however no sign of Meghan Markle with no events planned on her itinerary today The couple have been accused of using Australia 'like an ATM' in remarks which have left Harry and Meghan frustrated, a source told the Daily Mail overnight.  'To be fair, they have tried to make the trip mostly about charitable endeavours and limited costs,' the source said.  'Prince Harry has always had an affection for Australia and for a long time felt it was a home away from home, having done his gap year here in his youth.  'He in particular is known to keep up with his own press and would be taken aback by some strong reactions in the media and comment sections.'  The comments below have been moderated in advance. 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