Prince Harry
Prince Harry spent a month in Australia meaning he missed the birth of his new niece Andrew Boyers/Reuters

Prince Harry has spoken of his desire to have children now after the recent birth of his niece but wants to wait until he meets the right lady.

"It will happen when it's going to happen" he told Sky News in his most candid interview for years.

The Prince said during his tour of New Zealand that he looked forward to having someone next to him to "share the pressure" with.

He told Sky News' royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills: "There comes times when you think now is the time to settle down, or now is not, whatever way it is but I don't think you can force these things, it will happen when it's going to happen.

"Of course I would love to have kids right now but there's a process that one has to go through and tours like this are great fun, hopefully I'm doing all right by myself, it would be great to have someone else next to me to share the pressure, but you know, time will come and whatever happens, happens."

He missed the birth of Princess Charlotte while on his tour of Australia where thousands gathered at Sydney Opera House to give him a good send-off but William sent him photos of the new royal addition.

"She was a little bit late, hence I missed her, so she'll have to work on that, but apart from that it's fantastic news for both of them so I'm thrilled."

He is due to leave the Armed Forces later this summer and said he would be keen to earn a "wage" and to "work with normal people".

"There's a few things on the shortlist. But I don't want to speculate because I know what people are like.

"As long as people back home know that they can trust me, that I'm making the right decision and that whatever it is, it will be something that means I can give something back.

"This part of the role is fantastic but I and William – both of us – feel as though we need to have a wage as well; to work with normal people, to keep us sane, to keep us ticking along.

"In the future, from our point of view, if we want to make a big contribution, or a valid contribution and be taken seriously, then we need to work alongside other people."