Coming together to deliver their next steps for Heads Together, a campaign designed to ‘normalise’ mental health, the Duke of Cambridge Prince William, his wife Duchess Catherine and Prince Harry delivered a powerful address – something the younger of the two Princes wishes he had done a lot sooner.
This venture, which has been supported by numerous mental-health groups, is just another way Prince William and Prince Harry are continuing the charitable work of their late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Princess Diana’s HIV charity work is something that has long been celebrated. Not only that, but she was also very candid in speaking about her struggles with bulimia and self-harm during her short-lived 36 years.
Attending London’s Institute of Contemporary Art on Tuesday, January 17, Prince William, 34, called for the people of Great Britain to not just “Keep Quiet and Carry On”, but to talk about what they’re going through.
“Mental health matters to each and every one of us. It matters just as much as our physical health,” he said, according to Us Weekly.
“Talking to someone else is a positive and confident step to take – but it is no exaggeration to say that conversations – simple conversations – can be life-changing: in a workplace, in your kitchen at home, with a friend, family member or colleague.”
“And that’s what Catherine, Harry and I want to do – we want more people to be having those conversations.”
“We have seen that two heads are better than one when dealing with a mental health problem,” his wife, 35, added.
“Yet, the challenge that so many people have is not knowing how to take that first step of reaching out to another person for help. Admitting that they are not coping.”
“Fear, or reticence, or a sense of not wanting to burden another, means that people suffer in silence – allowing the problem to grow larger and larger unchecked.”
Duchess Catherine, along with Prince William and Prince Harry, are spearheading the Heads Together campaign to raise awareness about mental health in Britain.
However, it was 32-year-old Prince Harry’s heartfelt words that struck a chord with those who remember just how young he was when his mother, Princess Diana, died.
“We all have mental health; and we’ll say it again and again and again, if you want to be fit, healthy and set yourself up for success then your mental fitness is absolutely as important as your physical fitness,” he said.
“Everyone would get help for a broken leg, so why not seek help for an issue that could hamper you and others around you.”
The shock of his mother’s death is something Prince Harry regrets not opening up about when he was younger.
Just last year, Prince Harry, who was 12 years old when Princess Diana was tragically killed in a Paris car crash in 1997, admitted he regrets not talking about the impact his mum’s death had on him sooner.
“Everything can be OK, but I really regret not talking about it [earlier],” he said at a Heads Together event in July.
‘It’s OK to suffer, as long as you talk about it. It’s not a weakness. Weakness is having a problem and not recognising it and not solving that problem.”
“A lot of people think if you’ve got a job, if you’ve got financial security, if you’ve got a family, you’ve got a house, all that sort of stuff – everyone seems to think that is all you need and you are absolutely fine.”
If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about what mental health is all about, or need to talk to someone, don’t wait; contact beyond blue by calling them on 1300 224 636 or visiting their website.
