Chris Harrison’s Advice for Prince Harry & Meghan Markle: ‘Get Away From It’

Chris Harrison advice Meghan Markle, Prince Harry

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Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, announced on Wednesday, January 8 that they are “stepping back” from their royal duties and working to become “financially independent” of the royal family. They are going to divide their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

The couple has been very open about their struggles with being in the public eye, something that Bachelor franchise couples oftentimes struggle with as well. With that in mind, Bachelor host Chris Harrison has some advice for the royal couple.


Chris Harrison Encourages Them To Live Their Own Lives

Speaking with a couple of journalists at the 2020 Television Critics Association winter press tour, Harrison tells Heavy that he thinks the same advice he gives Bachelor couples absolutely applies to Prince Harry and Meghan.

“Honestly, I’d give them the same advice that I’d give some of our people. Get away from it,” says Harrison. “Look, I’m not going to tell the royal family what to do [laughs], but it’s that same advice of ‘get out there and set your own life up.’ If that’s in North America and you can still be benevolent, giving, loving — go. Go live your life. I can’t imagine living under that microscope.”


Harrison Says That Kind of Fame Can Be Really Hard on People

It’s not an exact analogy, but Harrison says that being famous on that kind of level can be hard on some people and that with a lot of Bachelor contestants, being under that kind of microscope gets the better of them.

“A lot of times people kind of jump on the so-called villain or someone who’s not handling it well, but people have to understand that it does take a certain type of person to do this show,” says Harrison. “This show is not right for everybody. It does get the better of people.”

He also says that being thrust into the public eye can be hard for someone who isn’t a person that “lives out loud.”

“[People ask] why would I not be great on the show? Because I’m not that kind of person. Despite what I do for a living, this is my profession. I don’t live out loud. … So sometimes this experience does get the best of people and they get kind of crushed by it,” says Harrison.

He adds that, like Prince Harry and Meghan, sometimes people have to “leave or they pull themselves out” of it because “they’re not themselves.”

“It’s not really a type [who works on the show] because I’ve seen all types work, but for some people it just doesn’t work for you. And that’s fine! It’s not an indictment on anybody,” says Harrison.

He adds, “Ryan [Sutter] is a good example. He got engaged to Trista, but he probably would not have been a good bachelor because he’s not a live-out-loud, open kind of guy. He’s a pretty quiet human being … so it really does take a certain kind of person.”

The Bachelor season 24, starring Peter Weber, airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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