Prince Harry on Thursday said no one in the British royal family wants to be the king or queen, but will carry out their duties "at the right time".
In one of his most revealing interviews, the 32-year-old fifth in line to the British throne also spoke of his anger at being forced to walk in a funeral procession soon after his mother Diana had died in a car crash in 1997.
Harry said that several times he longed to be something other than 'Prince Harry', but noted that he is also conscious of the ability of his status to help him make a difference.
“Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so. But we will carry out our duties at the right time,” Prince Harry told US magazine Newsweek.
We are involved in modernising the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves, but for the greater good of the people. I feel there is just a smallish window when people are interested in me before (William’s children Prince George and Princess Charlotte) take over, and I’ve got to make the most of it.
Recalling the walk behind his mother's coffin as a 12-year-old, Harry said no child "should be asked to do that under any circumstances".
In 1997, he joined his father, the Prince of Wales, his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, 15-year-old brother Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and uncle, Earl Spencer, in a funeral procession through the streets of London for Diana, Princess of Wales.
My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television,” he said. “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.Prince Harry told Newsweek
He also praised his mother for helping to show him an "ordinary life".
The royal, who is dating US actress Meghan Markle, said that if he were to have children they would have an ordinary life.
"Even if I was king, I would do my own shopping. But it's a tricky balancing act. We don't want to dilute the magic. The British public and the whole world need institutions like it,” he said.
Prince Harry also spoke at length of his desire, along with his elder brother William and his wife Kate Middleton, to bring the monarchy into the 21st century.
He said, “The monarchy is a force for good and we want to carry on the positive atmosphere that the Queen has achieved for over 60 years, but we won’t be trying to fill her boots.”
He paid tribute to his "remarkable" grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, 91, for letting the younger royals do things their own way.
"The Queen has been fantastic in letting us choose. She tells us to take our time and really think things through," he said.
Prince Harry has lately been outspoken about his feelings following his mother's tragic death in a Paris car crash and was praised by UK mental health charities for revealing he opted for counselling to help cope with the grief.
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