Prince Harry Mocked On Twitter After Praising People Who Quit Jobs: 'How Would He Know?'

Prince Harry is facing criticism after he recently praised people who left their jobs in order to preserve their mental health.

While promoting his mental health-focused startup BetterUp, the Duke of Sussex discussed the surge in job resignations amid the pandemic during an interview with Fast Company magazine. He described this as "a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change."

"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," Prince Harry added.

His comments sparked backlash on Twitter, with social media users claiming that Prince Harry's wealth means he is "out of touch."

"How would he know?" royal reporter Robert Jobson tweeted. "Oh, he forgot [not everyone's a prince who can] afford to just quit a job," another Twitter user commented.

"Will he pay our salaries when we quit? Asking for those of us who don’t have millions," a third wrote. "He quits anything that is too hard so it's not a surprise he endorses other quitters," another person commented.

One Twitter user said that while they "100% agree with distancing from toxic people and toxic environments," leaving a job is only "easy for people who don't have to worry about paying bills."

One person who said they've been working hard for years to support their children's education and their elderly parent wrote that Prince Harry's statement "really hurt."

Amid the criticism, some praised Prince Harry for his outlook on putting mental health before work.

"It's good to quit anything that is affecting your mental health," one person tweeted. "Well said, Prince Harry. You have to take the first step sometimes and that means leaving," a second person agreed.

“Totally agree. Best to walk away from toxicity and an environment you have no control over and [is resistant] to change. The monarchy is one example," added another.

Others pointed out that the Duke of Sussex didn't tell anyone to quit their jobs but simply showed his support to those who were able to do so during the pandemic.

"He is responding to the fact that so many people are quitting during the pandemic and why they are doing it. Not all of them can afford it either, but they are prioritizing their mental health," one person wrote.

"He is not advocating people quit their jobs willy-nilly. You can quite a job affecting your mental health by lining up a new one. He's not telling anyone what to do," another added.

"He's giving support to the ones who made the decision, based on their ability to do so. Save the criticism for something that warrants it!" a third user commented.

In his interview, Prince Harry was addressing the increased burnout and job resignations that were "accelerated" by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that while these struggles and issues were brought to the foreground in the last two years, they "have been brewing for quite some time."

"We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening," Prince Harry added. "This work has never been more important because people are finally paying attention, and a big component of this mission is building awareness and continuing to pioneer the conversation."