Prince Harry's first engagement of the year announced and it's already caused controversy

Prince Harry's first engagement of the year has just been announced and royal fans are already somewhat divided

Prince Harry's first engagement of the year
(Image credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty)

Prince Harry's first engagement of 2022 has just been announced as it is revealed the royal will be taking part in a virtual mental health event with BetterUp on Thursday, February 3.


Prince Harry has used his platform to advocate for mental health organizations for many years and has recently been open about his own personal struggles with his mental health. 

In a recent mental health series, The Me You Can't See with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke shared his learnings on helping others with suicidal thoughts and challenged the cruel language surrounding mental illness.

Because of the Duke's personal dedication to improving discussions about mental health, it is perhaps no surprise that the royal's first official engagement of the year will be to promote a new initiative at BetterUp, a professional mental health coaching service, of which Harry is a co-founder.

The Prince's first appearance of 2022 will be in support of this charity at an online event where he will talk with his BetterUp co-founder Alexi Robichaux and others about the company's commitment to their Inner Work initiative.

While this pro-mental health event seems to be a positive endeavor from the Prince, the Duke of Sussex came under fire only months ago after publicly sharing his controversial opinions in an attempt to promote this company.

In December, the Duke of Sussex was speaking with Fast Company to promote BetterUp, when he shared his controversial opinions on mental health. 

Prince Harry urged people to leave jobs that don't bring them 'joy' as he boldly claimed,  "A lot of the job resignations you mention aren’t all bad." 

"Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated." 

Following this, Prince Harry was mocked for being 'out of touch' with reality as many pointed out that most people are not in the position to quit their jobs simply because they aren't happy all of the time.

Fans also noted that as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan currently reside in a $14 million Santa Barbara mansion, share an estimated net worth of $10 million, and only recently signed a lucrative deal with Netflix—which has been estimated to be worth a whopping £74.5 million—the privileged Prince is perhaps not in the best position to encourage people to quit their jobs.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, visit One World Observatory on September 23, 2021

(Image credit: Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage via Getty)

Despite the Prince's previous hiccoughs when it has come to promoting this brand, many are still looking forward to seeing the Prince at this upcoming promotional event and learning a bit more about this company. 

"The working prince. Proud of you H" said one royal fan on social media. "Can't wait to see Prince Harry. A lovely and honorable man," said another.

For those who are interested in hearing more from Prince Harry, the Inner Work virtual event is currently free to sign up to and will take place on February 3, noon ET, 9 am PT.

Laura Harman

Laura is the Entertainment Editor for woman&home who primarily covers television, film, and celebrity news. Laura loves drinking and eating and can often be found trying to get reservations at London's trendiest restaurants. When she's not wining and dining, Laura can also be found travelling, baking, and hiking with her dog.