What Broke The Happy Prince's Heart? A Story of Love and Sacrifice

The Heart of the Happy Prince: What Really Broke It?

If you’ve ever read Oscar Wilde’s "The Happy Prince", you know that it’s a tale of beauty, generosity, and ultimately, heartbreak. But have you ever stopped to think—what actually broke the Happy Prince’s heart?

I remember discussing this story with my friend Lisa over coffee. She sighed and said, "It’s just a fairy tale, but why does it hurt so much?" That got me thinking—this isn't just about a golden statue and a little swallow. It’s about selflessness, love, and the cost of kindness.

Let’s dive into what really shattered the Happy Prince’s heart and why his story still resonates today.

Who Was the Happy Prince?

Before we get to the heartbreak, let’s set the stage.

The Happy Prince was once a real prince who lived in luxury and joy, never knowing sadness or suffering. But after his death, his city honored him by making a magnificent golden statue with sapphire eyes and a ruby on his sword hilt.

From his new vantage point high above the city, the Happy Prince could finally see what he had been blind to in life: the misery, poverty, and suffering of the people below.

And that’s when everything changed.

The Swallow and the Selfless Giving

Enter the Swallow, a little bird who was supposed to fly to Egypt for the winter but stopped by to rest at the feet of the Happy Prince. The Prince, now aware of the suffering around him, begged the Swallow to help him give away his riches—his ruby, sapphires, and even his gold covering—to those in need.

One by one, the Swallow carried the precious gems to a poor seamstress, a struggling playwright, and starving children, bringing them hope and relief. But with each gift, the Happy Prince became less and less magnificent, until he was nothing but a dull, leaden statue.

What Finally Broke His Heart?

1. The Death of the Swallow

Despite the freezing cold, the Swallow stayed by the Prince’s side, refusing to leave him alone. He had fallen in love—not just with the Prince, but with the mission of kindness and sacrifice.

But winter was merciless. One night, the Swallow could no longer fight the cold. With his last breath, he whispered, "I am going to the House of Death." And he died at the Prince’s feet.

At that moment, the lead heart inside the Happy Prince cracked in two.

Why? Because his only true companion was gone. The Swallow had given everything for the Prince’s cause, just as the Prince had given everything for the people.

2. The Cruelty of the City Leaders

To make things worse, after the Prince lost all his golden beauty, the city’s authorities saw him as useless and ugly.

They pulled down his statue and threw it in the trash.
They mocked the broken heart, calling it worthless.

Ironically, the very leaders who had ignored the suffering of their people were now discarding the statue that had secretly saved them.

The Deeper Meaning: Why This Story Still Hits Hard

Honestly, when I first read this story as a kid, I thought, Why did it have to end so tragically? But now I see—this wasn’t a story about winning. It was a story about love, sacrifice, and the unseen impact of kindness.

The Happy Prince gave everything to help those in need.
The Swallow chose love over survival.
Their kindness was ignored and discarded by the selfish, but it wasn’t in vain.

A Hopeful Ending: What Really Mattered

At the very end of the story, God asks one of His angels to bring Him the two most precious things in the city. Do you know what they were?

The broken heart of the Happy Prince.
The dead body of the Swallow.

And in heaven, they were rewarded for their love and selflessness.

So, what broke the Happy Prince’s heart?
The loss of his only friend.
The pain of seeing endless suffering.
The cruelty of those in power.

But in the end, his heart wasn’t truly broken—it was just too full of love for a selfish world to understand.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.