Princess Delphine of Belgium has publicly expressed her sympathy for Prince Harry, saying she believes he is still suffering from deep emotional trauma and is unfairly targeted by the public and media.
Speaking on the It’s Reigning Men podcast, the Belgian royal opened up about her long-standing interest in Harry’s story, particularly because of her connection to the late Princess Diana.
“I do follow a little bit of Harry because Lady Diana was just part of my life when I was in England… Then she had these children and everything, and then this death was just horrible,” she said. “I feel very sorry for Harry because I think that was traumatic for him.”
The Princess, who is the half-sister of King Philippe of Belgium, continued: “I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised and it’s coming out now.”
She also reflected on the Duke of Sussex’s long-standing concerns over royal security, suggesting these fears are rooted in the tragic death of his mother in 1997.
“This thing about security. I think it’s to do with what happened to his mother. I understand the guy. He’s just traumatised. And I understand, so he’s doing these things, and everybody’s bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma. And I just find it terrible because he’s just been kind of left.”
Princess Delphine is no stranger to royal controversy herself. She is the illegitimate daughter of King Albert II, the former monarch of Belgium, who had a secret relationship with her mother that lasted nearly two decades. Following a high-profile legal battle, Delphine successfully secured a court-ordered DNA test confirming Albert’s paternity.
Five years ago, Delphine won a historic ruling granting her the title of Princess and the style of ‘Her Royal Highness’, though she remains excluded from the Belgian line of succession. Despite the recognition, she has said it’s “still not right” that she is not officially part of the royal inheritance system.