Prince Harry's ADD diagnosis during interview called ‘irresponsible' by critic

In a bombshell moment, Prince Harry was informally diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during a 2023 livestream interview by trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté.

Basing his opinion and diagnosis on the Duke of Sussex’s explosive autobiography Spare, the physician described the condition as a natural response to stress rather than a disease.

“Reading the book, I diagnose you with ADD, I see it as a normal response to normal stress, not a disease,” Maté said.

Writing for Royal Insider, Adam England penned that while Maté is respected in the fields of trauma and addiction, the public nature of the diagnosis does not seem like the right thing to do.

“Dr Maté is certainly very experienced when it comes to conditions including ADD, addiction and stress. However, it feels flippant to diagnose Harry in an interview that’s streamed live to fans,” he penned.

The author added, “Whether Harry does or does not have the condition, it doesn’t feel fair to speculate. Private details regarding his health should be kept between him and his doctor. Unless, of course, he decides to reveal anything himself.”

“And, it does not appear that Dr Maté had spent sufficient time with Prince Harry before making his diagnosis. It seems that his view on Harry’s health was formed mostly by reading his book.”

At the time, Arthur Caplan, founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, expressed a similar opinion.

He told Psychiatrist.com, “Diagnosis by reading a book is utterly unethical and unprofessional. Especially when books are ghostwritten, as was Spare.”

“Offering diagnoses in this manner makes a mockery of efforts to promote evidence-based medicine.”

“Gabor Mate – it is neither ethical nor appropriate to tell someone for the first time, in a public interview, that they have ADHD,” the Neurodiversity Charity ADHD Foundation wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“@DrGaborMate It is for the individual to decide whether to disclose their Neurodiversity.”