Take this job, and shove it! Prince Harry is advising young people that if they’re not working a job that brings them “joy,” they need to quit. The former working British Royal family member did just that in 2020 and says it’s a sign that people are putting their mental health first.
The 37-year-old told Fast Company magazine in a December 6 interview that the amount of people who left their jobs amid the COVID pandemic is something to be “celebrated.”
“A lot of the job resignations you mention aren’t all bad. In fact, it is a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change. Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now, they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated,” Harry told the publication. He currently serves at the Chief Impact Officer for the mental health focused startup Betterup.com.
Harry, who continues to use his royal title the Duke of Sussex, which Queen Elizabeth gifted him on his wedding day, said that pandemic job resignations were years in the making in some cases.
“While on the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time. We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening,” Harry continued, adding, “This work has never been more important because people are finally paying attention, and a big component of this mission is building awareness and continuing to pioneer the conversation.”
Harry and wife Meghan Markle announced in January 2020 that they would be stepping down as working members of the British Royal Family. They’ve since moved to Montecito, California, where they reside in a $14 million mansion and have secured multimillion dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify.
Unfortunately, the father of two‘s message didn’t go over well with people who are unable to quit their jobs due to financial reasons.
“So, multi-millionaire Prince Harry who has never held down a proper job in his life and has never had to worry about paying bills says quitting jobs brings joy and it’s actually good for ‘self-awareness.’ Couldn’t make it up, please someone, anyone, make it stop!” one person tweeted, while another added, “Imagine taking job advice from a literal prince.”
“The person who lives in an $14 million mansion, has millions in the bank, and no proper job, is advising us to: ‘quit our jobs if they don’t bring us joy’ and says ‘leaving work is something to be celebrated.’ How would you know anything about work Prince Harry?!” one user tweeted, while another concurred, “This is a ‘let them eat cake,’ moment for the 21st century. People who can afford to quit their jobs to save their mental health have a lot of money in the bank and the prospects of better employment.”
However, the Duke of Sussex had several defenders, with one writing, “Prince Harry knows what he’s talking about. He walked out on a job that was taking a heavy toll on his own mental health. I greatly admire his courage and determination.” The article’s author, Yasmin Gagne, when tweeting out the piece, added, “In 2017 I quit a job that destroyed my mental health. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.”
A rep for Harry did not immediately respond to In Touch‘s request for comment