Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to be living the dream in California, but their stateside life likely presents a problem for the Duke of Sussex.
Harry, who was born and raised in the UK shared in Spare that he struggles with warm weather – and it's a problem his father, King Charles, can relate to.
"I'd always been sensitive to heat. Like Pa. He and I would joke about it," Prince Harry wrote in his memoir. "We're not made for this world, we said. Bl***y snowmen."
The Duke went on to share they battled with the late Queen Elizabeth over their hot-blooded nature. "The dining room at Sandringham, for instance, was our version of Dante's Inferno. Much of Sandringham was balmy, but the dining room was subtropical. Pa and I would always wait for Granny to look away, then one of us would jump up, sprint to a window, crack it an inch.
"Ah, blessed cool air. But the corgis always betrayed us. The cool air would make them whimper, and Granny would say: 'Is there a draft?' And then a footman would promptly shut the window."
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The temperature in Montecito is considerably warmer than in Harry's native England, sitting at an average of 26 degrees Celsius in the summer, so we hope their home is air-conditioned, for Prince Harry's sake!
While Harry suffers in the heat, it's likely Meghan Markle loves warm weather. Having lived in California for much of her life, the Duchess surely loves the sun – and her tan lines when she attended the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards were a testament to her love of basking in the sun.
The 41-year-old had strap marks on her chest and a watch tan line too, betraying her time spent in the sun, though pictures of her hiking recently proved she knows to protect herself from the sun, with a wide-brimmed hat atop her head.
Princess Kate also takes care to shelter herself from the harmful rays, often spotted with a parasol when she's at public engagements in hot countries, as well as rocking UV-protecting shades.
With his struggle to cope in the heat, Prince Harry needs to be wary of heatstroke and heat exhaustion. "A rapid rise in heat gain, due to exposure to extreme heat, can lead to compromised temperature regulation by the body," explains Dr. Raj Arora of The Face Bible Clinic. "This can result in a multitude of illnesses and can impact our immediate health. As a result, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and hyperthermia are all common and can be detrimental to one’s health."
Heatstroke symptoms
Heatstroke normally begins as heat exhaustion but can escalate quickly if you don't cool down.
According to the NHS, heat exhaustion symptoms include:
- a headache
- dizziness and confusion
- loss of appetite and feeling sick
- excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
- cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
- fast breathing or pulse
- a high temperature of 38C or above
- being very thirsty
Heatstroke is more serious, with symptoms including:
- fast breathing or shortness of breath
- fit (seizure)
- loss of consciousness
- not responsive
- feeling unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place and drinking plenty of water
- not sweating even while feeling too hot
- a high temperature of 40C or above
- feeling confused
How to treat heatstroke
The best advice is to avoid the heat in the first place, as Dr. Arora explains. "Keep cool, avoid vigorous physical activity in hot weather, and drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic fluids.
"Never leave children, older people or pets unattended in a car. Check in on family or friends who are vulnerable or elderly to ensure they are coping with the extreme heat. And of course for skin - keep topped up with a broad spectrum spf50+ sunscreen (reapply at least every two hours) and wear a hat!"
We hope Prince Harry is adequately prepared for the long, hot summer ahead!
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