Prince Harry's declaration that he doesn't want to do any "real work" has been met with ridicule, especially given that he now lives in a country notorious for not giving workers paid time off. Royal commentators have used Prince Harry's meagre work schedule this year to poke fun at his lofty remarks that helping others through charity is his life's goal.
According to Daniela Elser, an outspoken royal observer, Americans must be scratching their heads at the definition of Prince Harry's work of dedicating a productive life to philanthropy.
In a recent Daily Mail article, Elser wrote that Prince Harry now lives with his family in California, where there is no universal health care, gun laws are very lax, and there is a risk of random violence at any moment.
But what baffles Californians even more, Elser argues, is that there is no law in the United States that provides for paid leave. Unlike the United Kingdom and other developed countries, U.S. workers are not entitled to annual leave, and any paid vacation or sick leave must be negotiated with the employer.
With that in mind, Elser said, Californians must be wondering what Prince Harry is really doing in his time if he evades any notion of "real work."
Based on the records of his Archiwell Society, Elser flipped through Prince Harry's philanthropic calendar and revealed a shocking statistic that Prince Harry was only involved in public charity work for a measly 18 days in 2023.
Not only that, but there were 13 appearances during the year, and the remaining 5 days were spent at the Unconquerable Games, which Prince Harry created and regularly attended. Through calculations, Elser calculated that Prince Harry spends less than $1 per month on charity work5 days.
Apparently unimpressed by the numbers, Elser joked sarcastically that even if Prince Harry's donations were to double or triple, it would not be enough to support his claim that charity was the only focus and goal of his life. After all, most people who work full-time work about 20 days a month.
Elser argues that given the amount of time Prince Harry devotes to it, the work he does can hardly be described as a vocation, a soul purpose, or a job that consumes his entire life.
Of course, Elser acknowledges that there is more charity work going on beyond public-facing events. However, she argues that Prince Harry's philanthropic plans are so simple relative to a typical working life that he is justified in rejecting any "real work", that is, paid work.
While helping others is commendable, Elser hints that if he really wants to wholeheartedly help communities in need, the wealth-backed lifestyle he inherited provides him with plenty of substantial labor opportunities.
Elser goes on to write with her characteristic incisiveness that since moving to the celebrity hotspot of Montecito, many residents have found themselves with plenty of leisure time, and Prince Harry seems happy to enjoy his royal privileges rather than actually rolling up his sleeves to push for meaningful change.
She noted that other philanthropists and activists in the community have made greater efforts in philanthropy, but they are not as opposed to the concept of permanent or paid work as Prince Harry does.
Finally, Elser boldly said that if Prince Harry sincerely wants Californians and the rest of the world to accept his claim that philanthropy is his full-time vocation and identity, he should be wise to dramatically increase his philanthropic program and live up to his extensive rhetoric about service and purpose.
Only then can he count on anyone to believe that he has truly broken free from the shackles of heredity and embarked on a new lifelong dedication to the uplifting of humanity through a philanthropic mission and selfless activism. Otherwise, she asserts, his minimalist philanthropic calendar is more of a convenient virtue signal.
So, in the comments of the famous royal commentator, Prince Harry's hypocritical denial of any "real work" sounds rather hollow given how much time he actually devotes to charity each month from the comfort of his home in California. In California, most people struggle to get gainful work and paid time off.
Unless those numbers change dramatically, few seem to be persuaded by Prince Harry's rhetoric about dedicating himself to a life of charity while maintaining such a minimalist schedule. Actions are often more persuasive than the most ambitious words.