Prince Harry lands new job as tech executive for Silicon Valley startup in post-royal life

Prince Harry has taken up a new job at Silicon Valley startup BetterUp as its chief impact officer. The company — which is focused on coaching and providing mental health services to clients — lists the 36-year-old as part of its leadership team on its website, describing him as a "humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate, and environmentalist." According to The Wall Street Journal, at BetterUp, Harry is expected to have input into product strategy decisions and charitable contributions, and advocate publicly on topics related to mental health. "I intend to help create impact in people's lives," he reportedly said in response to questions about why he's taking the job. "Proactive coaching provides endless possibilities for personal development, increased awareness, and an all-round better life."

While BetterUp declined to comment on how much Harry would be paid, CEO Alexi Robichaux — who said he was introduced to the prince through a mutual friend and began conversations with him last fall — said that the position is "a meaningful and meaty role." Harry expanded on his reasons for taking the job in a blog post announcing his new role, writing: "I firmly believe that focusing on and prioritizing our mental fitness unlocks potential and opportunity that we never knew we had inside of us. As the Royal Marine Commandos say, 'It's a state of mind.' We all have it in us. Being attuned with your mind, and having a support structure around you, are critical to finding your own version of peak performance."

"What I've learned in my own life is the power of transforming pain into purpose. During my decade in the military, I learned that we don't just need to build physical resilience, but also mental resilience," Harry continued. "And in the years since, my understanding of what resilience means — and how we can build it — has been shaped by the thousands of people and experts I've been fortunate to meet and learn from."

"As BetterUp's first Chief Impact Officer, my goal is to lift up critical dialogues around mental health, build supportive and compassionate communities, and foster an environment for honest and vulnerable conversations. And my hope is to help people develop their inner strength, resilience, and confidence," he added. "Self-optimisation is not about fixing something that's broken. It's about becoming the best version of ourselves, with whatever life throws at us — someone who is ready for the next challenge and can meet setbacks with courage, confidence, and self-awareness. This is what BetterUp is making possible, and I look forward to being on this journey with you."

Harry's new job title comes just a few weeks after his wife Meghan Markle, who is pregnant with the couple's second child, publically opened up about having suicidal thoughts during her time in the royal family. "I was really ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry, especially, because I know how much loss he's suffered, but I knew that if I didn't say it that I would do it," Meghan told Oprah Winfrey in the explosive March 7 interview. "And I just didn't, I just didn't want to be alive anymore, and that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought."

The 39-year-old also spoke about struggling to access mental health help as a senior member of the royal family. While she credited her husband for being a source of support through it all, Harry admitted that he "went to a very dark place as well" and struggled to get help for his wife. "I had no idea what to do. I wasn't prepared for that," Harry told Winfrey. The prince's new job title is the latest venture he and Meghan have undertaken since stepping down as senior members of Britain's royal family last year. The couple signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to produce films and series, including docu-series, documentaries, features, and children's programming in September last year and also have a multi-year partnership with Spotify that will see them both hosting and producing podcasts.