“We are the one species on this planet that seems to think that this place belongs to us, and only us,” Prince Harry, 34, said when speaking to legendary conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, 85, for the September 2019 issue of British Vogue. During the wide-ranging conversation – which covered everything from conservation to racism – Prince Harry called the current environmental crisis “terrifying.” The new father – Harry and Meghan Markle, 37, welcomed their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, in May — said the planet’s rising temperature and dwindling resources made him think twice about having a large family.
“I’ve always had a connection and a love for nature. I view it differently now, without question. But I’ve always wanted to try and ensure that, even before having a child and hoping to have children…” Prince Harry said, to which Dr. Goodall added, “Not too many!” “Two, maximum,” replied the British royal. So, if/when he and Meghan have another child, that’s it! No more. “I’ve always thought: this place is borrowed,” Harry said in the interview. “And, surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.”
In that issue of British Vogue, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that she reached out to the former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, 55, for advice on motherhood. Meghan said that the answers Michelle gave to her “simple questions” were “as a thoughtful, reflective and beautifully curated narrative – a gentle reminder not of how but of why she has become such a globally respected public figure.” Michelle said that “being a mother has been a masterclass in letting go,” and that her job is “not to bulldoze a path for them in an effort to eliminate all possible adversity.”
“But instead,” wrote the ex-FLOTUS, “I need to be a safe and consistent place for them to land when they inevitably fail; and to show them, again and again, how to get up on their own.” If Meghan and Harry follow that advice, they’ll be great parents to baby Archie and the other child they’ll eventually have.