Anais Gutierrez
Prince Harry and Prince William had an honest conversation with Kate Middleton about mental health. The Royal trio released on Friday a video, where they open up about their issues and struggles.
The video was part of a week of campaigning gear up to support the London Marathon, which this year will raise funds for their charity Heads Together.
Prince Harry reveals his struggles with his own mental health
Prince Harry and William have been on an active week of the #OktoSay campaign. The week has been full of candid moments and confessions all in order to normalize the discussion on mental illness.
In an interview with the Telegraph on Monday, Prince Harry revealed he sought for therapy after struggling for years with his mother death.
Harry said, “I can safely say that losing my mom at the age of 12 and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but also my work as well.”
Then Prince William spoke with Lady Gaga via Facetime, in which he praised the diva for being so vocal about her post-traumatic stress disorder. Here is a good read about mental health from BetterHelp.
William said, “It’s time that everyone speaks up and really feels very normal about mental health. It’s the same as physical health. Everybody has mental health, and we shouldn’t be ashamed of it and just having a conversation with a friend or family member can really make such a difference.”
However, the peak of the week was definitely the honest conversation Princes Harry, William and Kate shared on Friday. The trio spoke while sitting at a garden in Kensington Palace and discussed personal issues as they encourage others to do the same.
In the clip, Kate says, “A young mother actually said that to me … she said actually, ‘just talking to somebody. Having those conversations’ is like medicine for her. That is the point, is that actually it’s okay to have that conversation, even if it is uncomfortable or awkward.”
Then, she asked William and Harry how working in the campaign has made them think about the ways in which they coped with their mother’s death.
Prince William said, “We have been brought closer as a result of the circumstances as well. We are uniquely bonded because of what we’ve been through. Even Harry and I though, over the years, have not talked enough about our mother.”
Harry added: “Never enough. I always thought to myself, ‘what’s the point in bringing up the past?” He continued, “What’s the point in bringing up something that’s only going to make you sad, it ain’t going to change it, it ain’t going to bring her back. When you start thinking like that, it can be really damaging.”
Princess Kate expressed “Considering everything that you boys sadly went through and the trauma that you experienced, I do particularly at work within early intervention that I’d been doing in the early years, think it’s incredible how strong you are and how you’ve been able to cope really.”
She ended, “And I put that down to your really early years and your childhood experience, but also the relationship you’ve got. You’re amazingly close.”
The London Marathon and the Royal Crown
The London Marathon first started in 1981 and has become one of the most famous long-distance events. The event brings together athletes for a day of raising funds and donations for charitable causes.
In past years, the event has raised millions for WaterAid and also the Children With Cancer UK. This year the event will take a royal course as the charity is no other than a royal founded one. In Sunday’s event at least 70 marathoners will run wearing a turquoise headband in a representation of Heads Together.
In Sunday’s event at least 70 marathoners will run wearing a turquoise headband in a representation of Heads Together, being the first time the event chooses a mental health cause.
Last year Princes Harry and William and Princess Kate came together for a noble cause. The royal trio decided to join forces to change the national conversation on mental wellbeing with their organization Heads Together.
All about their organization
Heads Together works with young people, emergency response, homeless charities and veterans to promote mental wellbeing and end the stigma around mental illness.
The initiative resulted after gathering various charities and their own interests in the field. The royals are currently working with the following charities Best Beginnings; CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably’ Contact (a military mental health coalition); Mind; Place2Be; The Mix and YoungMinds.
The royals are pretty excited about the project as they consider mental health is just as important as physical health. Kate said, “Mental health is just as important as physical health. We can all play our part by talking and listening to each other and helping each other find support.”
The royals’ experiences have served them to focus on a different aspect of the work they’re carrying in Heads Together.Both Princes, Harry and William, served in the military which gave them a whole new perspective as well as experience. On one hand, William came across with suicide as an air ambulance pilot.
On the other hand, Harry got t experience the overwhelming unconditional support soldiers have for each other but highlighted that doesn’t include emotional support.
He said, “This support for each other hasn’t included looking after how your buddy is feeling and thinking about things. Hopefully, if men see soldiers talking about mental health, it will give them the confidence to do the same.”
Source: UPI
Loading…