PRINCE Harry today declared he wants people to “become the best versions of ourselves” after bagging a job as the “chief impact officer” at a Silicon Valley startup.
The Duke of Sussex said he wanted to “foster an environment for honest and vulnerable conversations” in his new gig with a San Francisco coaching and mental health firm after claiming he had been cut off by the Royal Family.
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The 36-year-old royal was revealed at the first chief impact officer for BetterUp Inc – taking on the role one year after he quit the Royal Family.
And in a lengthy statement, the prince said he wanted to focus on his next “journey” as his new job was revealed.
Harry said: “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.”
It comes as…
- The couple’s chief-of-staff left her post after 11 months
- Prince Harry scored a job with a Silicon Valley startup
- The Sussexes admitted they did not marry three days before their Windsor wedding after claiming they had exchanged vows early in the Oprah interview
- Meghan and Harry hired a Hollywood producer to head up their Netflix and Spotify productions
- A spoof website joked Prince Harry was running for the Vice Presidency
BetterUp was founded in 2013 and provides mobile-based professional coaching, counselling and mentorship. Last month, it was valued at $1.73bn – or £1.25bn.
Confirming the news, BetterUp CEO Alexi Robichaux said while Prince Harry would not manage employees, he was expected to be a part of all-hands meetings and special company events.
He said: “It’s a meaningful and meaty role.”
Mr Robichaux revealed he had started speaking with the royal last year after being introduced through a mutual friend.
It is unclear what the royal’s salary will be, or if he will be compensated at all, however he has now been listed on the company’s website as the Chief Impact Officer.
Harry said that when he first met BetterUP’s chief executive, Alexi Robichaux, they “instantly recognised a shared passion for helping others realise their full potential”.
He added that they held a similar philosophy on mental health that “we must proactively take care of our minds”.
Harry said: “In addition to this shared philosophy, what caught my attention about BetterUp was that the company’s mission to unlock the potential in people everywhere necessitates innovation, impact and integrity.
“Their team has been delivering on that work for years.
“I was also impressed by the scale and opportunity for impact – the ability to change millions of people’s lives for the better, through a combination of human connection, leading technology and behavioural science.”
In an online bio accompanied by a black and white photo of Prince Harry, the royal is described as a “humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate, and environmentalist”.
It adds: “As co-founder of Archewell, he is focused on driving systemic change across all communities through non-profit work as well as creative activations.”
BetterUp’s website says it has a network of more than 2,000 coaches offering coaching in 49 languages across 66 countries, along with “interactive professional development content, analytics and real-time insights to track employee progress”.
Meghan and Harry have embraced a string of new roles since quitting the Royal Family last year.
NEW LIFE
They have signed megapound deals with both Spotify and Netflix to create podcasts and productions while Meghan, 39, even provided a voiceover for a Disney documentary about elephants.
But Harry recently claimed they had been forced to do the deals – telling Oprah Winfrey his family had cut them off when they quit the Firm.
He said: “We didn’t have a plan.”
Other explosive claims saw Meghan and Harry tell Oprah an unnamed member of the Royal Family had raised concerns over how dark their son Archie’s skin would be before he was born.
And the Duchess of Sussex also claimed she had asked for help while feeling suicidal but had been told she could not access support.
Meghan and Harry are now living in the US after leaving the UK last year.
They recently announced they are expecting a baby girl, who will make son Archie a big brother.
Last year, they bought a home in Santa Barbara, just down the road from Oprah.
