As part of Heads Together’s openness campaign, William, Kate and Harry have a casual chat about how the Heads Together project came about, and their personal circumstances with mental health and coping, in a new video. It is one of their most open ever moments.
William, Kate and Harry chat about their mental health and the Heads Together project (HeadsTogether video still)
The 6 minute video posted to Kensington Palace’s twitter account shows The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry sitting at a picnic table in Kensington Palace Gardens, chatting as any family would.
The trio reveal that Heads Together was Catherine’s idea, as she noticed ‘a common thread’ in all of their charity work. ‘Mental health seemed to run between all the different areas we were working in,’ the Duchess said, noting the military involvement of Prince Harry and William’s work with bereavement, and mental health in terms of addiction for her.
Harry said: “You could draw 150 charities together in a circle and in the middle would be mental health.”
“You often don’t speak about the emotional changes that you’ve gone through,” said Catherine, bringing up the topic of children and parenting. She said having your first child is a ‘life-changing moment’.
“No matter how many books you read, nothing can prepare you for it [parenthood],” the couple concluded.
Catherine spoke of how, after spending six weeks at the Middleton home with her family after becoming a mother – which she called ‘family support’, and she thought it a good idea to follow her husband back to Anglesey with ‘little George’ as William returned to work. The time alone as new parents was described as ‘a steep learning curve’.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have a casual chat about their mental health work (Video still)
The Duke of Cambridge admitted: “I feel quite a lot more than I used to,” since becoming a parent, something he has mentioned in the past. He also commented on being affected by the family cases working with the air ambulance, and ‘takes them home’. William praised the support network at EAAA, which he is due to leave this summer to return to London as a full-time Royal as Prince George starts school.
Talk then turned to how losing Diana affected William and Harry. “I think it’s incredible how strong, and how you’ve been able to cope,” said the Duchess of her husband and brother-in-law. “You’re amazingly close,” she said.
“Most of the time,” quipped the Duke, further elaborating that he and Harry ‘have not talked enough about our mother’ over the years.
Prince Harry then spoke of his brother’s encouragement in coping with the loss: “You [William] always said to me you’ve gotta sit down and think of those memories,” but as the Prince noted in a recent podcast, he didn’t see the point in making himself sad by doing so.
This Sunday, the London Marathon is taking place with 700 runners for Heads Together, though each person will receive a blue charity headband. The Royal trio will be at the event cheering them on.
Watch The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in conversation on mental health for @heads_together #oktosay pic.twitter.com/417gqyqzk0
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 21, 2017
3 comments
Oh prince William and Prince Harry everything yous said is so so true not everybody can talk about mental health i suffer mental health for over 30 years I have my good days and bad one’s to all i can say now is thank God we don’t have to hide it anymore
Good that you three are bringing this subject to the forefront…..You can help so many people who think it is weak to show their feelings or speak up. It is in fact a great strength, because only those who have lived through something can have empathy for others in the same predicament…..Wishing you all great success in this “Heads Together” Endeavor!!
This 8s a very important topic with parenting first as parents we have to be good role models for our kids for children live what they learn and see also we have to be prepared so that the kids will look up to us as a good example