As Prince Harry shares his concerns with Oprah, did the UK fail him?

The life the Duke of Sussex has had – constantly facing public scrutiny – is one that few of us would be able to live comfortably

I was just all over the place mentally, every time I put a suit and tie on, having to do the role... I was pouring with sweat".

Those are the words of Prince Harry, as part of a news series with Oprah Winfrey for Apple TV, The Me You Can’t See, talking about his role within the royal family. It is part of a number of personal admissions from the Duke of Sussex about his life.

Others include his confusion at having his share the grief over the death of his mother, Princess Diana, with the world, and his feelings every time he visits England's capital: "London is a trigger, unfortunately," he says. "Because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw".

Prince Harry has clearly been trying to open up recently about his life – and whatever you think of the way the prince and his wife, Meghan Markle, left their frontline role with the royals, such candid remarks should resonate.

In a statement ahead of the series Prince Harry said: “The majority of us carry some form of unresolved trauma, loss or grief, which feels – and is – very personal. Yet the last year has shown us that we are all in this together, and my hope is that this series will show there is power in vulnerability, connection in empathy, and strength in honesty.”

The prince should be applauded for such an open approach to discussing his own life, not least because it could help someone else. But there should also be a recognition of the toll living your life under a light as bright as Harry has will have taken a toll.

It is difficult to ignore that the release of the series comes very close to the report by Lord Dyson into the 1995 BBC interview between Martin Bashir and Harry's mother, Princess Diana. The report found that Bashir had engaged in “deceitful behaviour” by commissioning fake bank statements to aid in landing the interview – a “serious breach” of the BBC’s editorial guidelines. Both the BBC and Bashir have apologised. Bashir said that it was an "action I deeply regret" but has that Diana would have committed to the interview anyway. The BBC has a handwritten note from Diana stating that the documents played “no part in her decision to take part in the interview”.

In statements following the report, both Harry and his brother Prince William criticised the BBC. Harry said: "Our mother was an incredible woman... The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.” Meanwhile, William said: “It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to [Princess Diana's] fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.

Both statements are full of strong words, and it is hard not to grasp a sense of hurt. These events are a quarter of a century ago, but the rawness appears undimmed by time.

The series with Oprah is distinct from the events from the 1995 interview, but Harry's words in it also give a sense of history. They paint the portrait of a man who has spent time coming to terms with his life. "Everybody has some form of pain," he says in one episode. "You can think you’re the most successful, happiest person, that doesn’t mean that your life is sorted".

Whether Harry himself feels let down or not, and I can't answer that question, I can't help feeling a sense personally that he has been let down. That is not to point fingers at individuals, more a sense that the life the prince has had – constantly facing public scrutiny – is one that few of us would be able to live comfortably.

Yes, frontline royals are aware of what their position means, but Harry should be commended for wanting to be open about how he feels. I believe he is right when he talks about "strength in honesty". But I can't help asking, could there have been an easier road to get here?