‘My father and my brother are trapped’ in the system, I have escaped – Prince Harry

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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 10: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England. The 100th birthday of the RAF, which was founded on on 1 April 1918, was marked with a centenary parade with the presentation of a new Queen's Colour and flypast of 100 aircraft over Buckingham Palace. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Prince Harry says he and older brother Prince William are on “different paths.”

During Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday, the Duke of Sussex said that other members of his family can’t leave the “system” the way he did.

“It’s been really hard,” Harry explained. “I am part of the system with them, I always have been, but I guess — and I’m very aware of this — my brother can’t leave that system, but I have.”

When Oprah asked if William — who is second in line to the throne behind their father, Prince Charles — wanted to leave the royal family, Harry replied, “I don’t know. I can’t speak for him.”

He continued, “With that relationship and that control and the fear by the U.K. tabloids, it’s a toxic environment. But I will always be there for him, and I will always be there for my family. I’ve tried to help them to see what has happened.”

‘We are very much not a racist family’ – Prince William to reporters

Prince harry and Megan and Oprah
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey

Harry, 36, said that he “didn’t see a way out” of the royal family before meeting Meghan, 39.

“I was trapped, but I didn’t know I was trapped. Trapped within the system like the rest of the family,” he said. “My father and my brother are trapped. They don’t get to leave, and I have huge compassion for that.”

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Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles

He also described his relationship with his older sibling at the moment as “space.”

“I love William to bits. He’s my brother. We’ve been through hell together,” Harry explained. “But we are on different paths.”

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

On Thursday, Prince William, 38, and  Kate Middleton, 39, stepped out for the first time since the interview aired. William hit back at racism claims made during the interview, telling a Sky News reporter, “We are very much not a racist family.”

When asked if he had spoken to Harry after the Oprah interview, he added, “No, I haven’t spoken to him yet, but I will do.”

During the Oprah interview, Meghan said that there were “concerns and conversations about how dark [Archie’s] skin might be when he’s born” voiced by a member of the royal family. 

Later in the sit-down, Oprah pressed Harry on the issue, asking him who was behind the racially charged comment. “That conversation I’m never going to share,” he said. “It was awkward. I was a bit shocked.”

PEOPLE