Prince Harry has said he wanted a job after leaving the Army but could not find one with which he could combine his royal duties.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the young royal also said he was subconsciously trying to fill the "void" left by his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, after she died.
Addressing accusations of being workshy that have dogged him and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, this year, Harry said that he did not get satisfaction from doing nothing.
Speaking last week before he flew to Florida for the Invictus Games, he insisted he wanted to use his current high profile for good.
"I don't get any satisfaction from sitting at home on my arse," he said.
But after leaving the military, he found most jobs he looked at "were not going to work" combined with royal duties and some jobs were "not even on the table".
He added: "I'm in this privileged position and I will use it for as long as I can, or until I become boring, or until George ends up becoming more interesting."
Until then, he is following in his mother's footsteps doing charity work focused on helping people affected by HIV.
Sir Elton John - whose foundation funds Aids research and awareness campaigns - had encouraged him, he said.
The former Army officer has been outspoken in his support of veterans, saying he thought the Government "could do more" to help veterans, and wants to continue to champion sport despite his body being "ruined" after 10 years of service.
Aware of the "gaping void" left by his mother, Harry said he wanted to bring an element of fun to everything he did as a way of filling her boots.
He said he thought she would be proud of him adding: "That probably is subconsciously very much part of my mother - trying to fill that void."
The Prince is also trying to negotiate a private life where "if I talk to a girl, that person is then suddenly my wife, and people go knocking on her door".
Speaking to the BBC,, he said that while aware of his privileged position, the intrusion into his private life is "incessant".
"Everyone has a right to privacy," he told the Andrew Marr programme.
"Sadly, that line between public and private life is almost non-existent any more."