In what I consider to be a rather revealing article in UK’s Daily Mirror, Prince Harry speaks of his “paranoia about women”. I am not quite sure what this phrase means even after some reflection but here’s what I suggest thus far…

Before speaking of his particular paranoia, the red-headed Prince speaks of the challenges of privacy and potential around women.

Privacy is a challenge simply because he is a royal Prince; as he writes even being seen with a young lady begets articles and suggestions that this is to be his bride and all is settled. Clearly there is little room for gentle introductions and gentle acquaintanceship before a final commitment. It’s not impossible as we have seen before, but it is difficult. Of course, privacy is a challenge for all nascent relationships. The common hope that two people can begin to get to know each other without friends and family pushing away or pushing together.

Potential for meeting young women is also a challenge for the Prince. He works hard and he works publicly. There are no royal registries to which the Prince can turn to “order his mail-order princess”. Of course this is also a challenge for non-royals as well. All too often I hear of the difficulty that people have in meeting suitable partners; they also work hard, often very hard and for very long hours. Gym meetings are beset with problems and as regards meeting in bars… the general comment I hear is “the last person I would want to marry is someone I met in a bar!”

And now we come to paranoia, the most challenging to understand without the Prince’s help but here goes. Prince Harry has experienced around him both close at hand and not so close the tragic corrosion of marriages and the vast impact they have upon all concerned, especially young children. And here, without therapeutic babbling, we note that for the Prince and all others what we have been, what we have experienced affects greatly our present; paranoia may be a strong word but the impact of past hurts is strong too.

 

Click – Prince Harry reveals… well, not quite all

 

Well, we can hope for the Prince that one day he will find his princess.