The royal contemplated his path from being born into a life of duty to finding his own calling and shifting from obligation to desire.

Prince Harry seemed to take a pointed jab at the Royal Family during an unexpected visit in New York.

The comments were made during a discussion on stage at the NEXUS Global Summit, where he spoke to an audience of 350 possible philanthropists and investors on Friday. Harry contemplated his personal journey from being born into a life of service to finding his own purpose and transitioning from a sense of obligation to a desire to serve.

He also highlighted that the Archewell Foundation, founded by him and his wife Meghan, 43, in 2020, is guided by principles of “compassionate leadership” and a commitment to “something greater than ourselves.”

Harry, 40, stated: “The thing that gives me the most hope is the grassroots approach. Many of you here today are connected and involved with so many community solutions, because it’s what energises all of you, and that service part is really what energises me as well.”

In 2021, following the couple’s withdrawal from royal duties, the Queen affirmed they would not“continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service”. In a reply at that moment, Harry and Meghan released a brief statement declaring: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”

In his recent remarks, Harry encouraged participants to “take care of each other and our children in the future” and to “tackle the systems instead of the symptoms keeping us down.”