Prince Harry Admits to Heated Argument: The First Time He Recognized Cultural Differences and Language Barriers with Meghan Markle

In his candid memoir, “Spare,” Prince Harry opens up about a significant argument with his wife, Meghan Markle, highlighting the cultural differences and language barriers that contributed to the conflict. The Duke of Sussex recalls a particular night when he became unusually angry during a conversation with Meghan, describing his reaction as “sloppily angry.”

“Maybe the wine went to my head. Maybe the weeks of battling the press had worn me down,” Harry writes. “For some reason, when the conversation took an unexpected turn, I became touchy. Then angry. Disproportionately, sloppily angry.” He goes on to explain that Meghan had said something he “took the wrong way” due to their cultural differences and a language barrier. Feeling overly sensitive, he snapped at her and spoke harshly and cruelly.

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. “As the words left my mouth, I could feel everything in the room come to a stop. The gravy stopped bubbling, the molecules of air stopped orbiting. Even Nina Simone seemed to pause,” Harry recalls. Meghan, maintaining her composure, walked out of the room. Harry found her fifteen minutes later, sitting alone in their bedroom.

In a calm but firm tone, Meghan made it clear that she would not tolerate being spoken to in such a manner. She questioned Harry about where his anger came from and whether he had heard adults speak that way during his upbringing. Harry admitted that he had.

Although Meghan has not publicly addressed the incident, Harry reveals that she was clear about her boundaries. “She wasn’t going to raise children in an atmosphere of anger or disrespect. She laid it all out, super-clear,” Harry writes. He acknowledges that his outburst was not caused by their conversation but by deeper issues within himself.

Harry reflects on his need for therapy, noting that his brother, Prince William, had once suggested it. Despite previous unsuccessful attempts, Meghan encouraged him to try again. “I’ve tried therapy,” Harry told her. “Willy told me to go. Never found the right person.” Meghan’s response was gentle but firm: “Try again.”

Prince Harry has been an advocate for mental health and therapy, sharing how it transformed his perspective on life. “The moment I started doing therapy, it opened my eyes,” he said during an October 2022 appearance at the Masters of Scale Summit. “I was moving through life thinking there was only one way to live. And therapy burst that bubble.”

In his memoir, Harry also alleges that Prince William once mocked his anxiety, recalling a time when William laughed at him after a speech during which Harry had nearly fainted. “I couldn’t fathom that my sibling would react in such a way,” Harry writes, especially since William had witnessed his first panic attack.

Prince William has not publicly responded to these allegations. As Prince Harry continues to navigate his mental health journey, his memoir provides a raw and honest look at the challenges and growth he has experienced along the way.