Psychotherapist Mark Vahrmeyer has shared his views on the challenges Prince Harry may face after leaving the army and stepping back from royal duties.
Speaking to an outlet, Vahrmeyer suggested that Harry’s questions about his identity may have started long before he left the military. He pointed to the title of Harry’s memoir, Spare, as a sign of how Harry may have viewed his place in the royal family.
Vahrmeyer explained that seeing yourself as the “spare” means defining yourself through someone else’s role. This can leave a person wondering who they are outside that relationship.
According to the Express, he also said military life gives people a clear role, structure, community and purpose. While these can provide valuable support, leaving that environment can be difficult.
In his view, Harry was born into a royal institution that shaped his identity, then joined the army, which gave him another clearly defined role. Moving away from both may have raised questions about who he is outside those roles.
Vahrmeyer suggested that developing a stronger sense of self could be more helpful than finding another role to fill. He said this process can be painful because it involves accepting what has been lost and deciding who you want to become.
These are Vahrmeyer’s interpretations. His quoted comments do not establish that Harry made a single mistake or lost “decades” of healing.
