The Duke of Sussex has spoken candidly about his “rollercoaster” experience of parenting, backing a new report into fatherhood to be debated in parliament.

Speaking during his recent visit to Australia, Prince Harry helped to launch More than a Provider – a study into new fatherhood from the men’s mental health charity Movember.

Giving his backing to the report, the king’s youngest son shared a powerful message to any new father struggling to adjust to the huge life change – “You are not alone”.

He said: “There is no version of where you can bottle something up and it just disappears. It builds, it snowballs, and you can get to a point where you’re no use to anybody, and that’s a place you never want to be.

Prince Harry speaks at the launch of Movember’s fatherhood report. Picture: Press Association
“To simply be seen, acknowledged and asked how you’re doing as a dad – that can be transformational.

“Too many men go through this period without anyone checking in, even though it is such a big moment in their lives.”

The Duke added: “You are not alone. This report shows so many dads are feeling the same things – it is messy, it’s a rollercoaster, and there are moments where you question yourself.

“We shouldn’t judge ourselves for that.”

Describing his own experiences of becoming a father, he said: “I think from the moment you are told you are now expecting to be a father there are all sorts of things that can go through your mind.

“For me, I made sure there was a conscious effort that ‘it starts now’, not in nine months time when he’s born, but it starts now.”

The report saw 1,216 Australian dads surveyed on their experiences of new fatherhood, highlighting the challenges they face.

It found that while the vast majority – 84 per cent – said becoming a father gave their life greater meaning, it also exposed shortcomings in the support they received.

It showed that three out of five new fathers were never asked about their own mental health during their partner’s pregnancy or their child’s first year of life.

Describing his own experiences of becoming a father, he said: ‘I think from the moment you are told you are now expecting to be a father there are all sorts of things that can go through your mind’. Picture: Press Association
And a quarter rated their physical and mental health to be poor or fair in their first year, with one in five reporting feeling more isolated and lonely since becoming a dad.

Zac Seidler, global director of research at Movember, said: “Supporting fathers during this period is good for dads, partners, children and the whole family.

“Dads want to be present, involved and healthy for their families. The opportunity now is to keep building practical support around them, including routine check-ins, confident health workers and community programs that help dads stay connected.

“Fatherhood is one of the few times when men are actively engaging in the health system and thinking about their wellbeing – but too often, no one is asking how they’re actually doing.”

The report is set to be tabled in parliament by a cross-party group of MPs, including Dan Repacholi, the special envoy for men’s health.

He said: “Becoming a dad is one of the proudest moments in a bloke’s life, but it can also be one of the hardest.

“This report shows that Aussie dads are stepping up for their kids and families in ways that are really positive.

“It also shows there is a real opportunity to make it easier for dads to talk about their health, get support early and stay connected during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.”