Prince Harry opens up about 'scars on the inside' in powerful speech on Veterans Day

Prince Harry detailed battling mental health issues in a moving speech he delivered on Veterans Day.

The 37-year-old Duke of Sussex and wife Meghan Markle attended the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum's Salute to Freedom Gala in New York City on Wednesday, and stunned everyone with their rare appearance.

For the occasion, Meghan was dressed in a red Carolina Herrera gown and Harry looked dapper in a formal suit.

The Duke, who presented the 2021 Intrepid Valor Awards during the event, revealed how he had to deal with some scars from the inside.

"I'd also like to speak briefly about something else that, until recently, has existed in the darkness: the invisible wounds that we are all susceptible to," he shared. "The scars on the inside that no one sees. For too long, invisible injuries were treated as just that—invisible—and were destined to be swept under the rug at the risk of shame, guilt or just a lack of understanding."

He continued, "Yet we now know that the mind is just like a muscle. It experiences trauma and pain, whether in conflict or at home, whether in uniform or not. It needs training…as well as recovery and care, no matter who you are and no matter what you do. Our physical health and mental health are one and the same, and just as much as we aspire to be physically fit, so too we need to be mentally fit."

Talking about his own experience of serving in the military, Harry shared, "My experience in the military made me who I am today, and I will always be grateful for the people I got to serve with—wherever in the world we were."

He proceeded to tell the crowd that it's understandable that "service members often feel isolated" after leaving the forces. He said that years of a mission-driven lifestyle can leave individuals longing for "self-purpose, focus, service to others and being part of a team" when they return home.