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The Duke of Cambridge is set to speak in a BBC documentary this evening about his work to destigmatise talking about mental health, and open up about some of his own struggles. He and Kate are well known for their work with mental health charities, and have been bringing a message of reaching out for support during the challenges of the coronavirus crisis to the nation in recent weeks.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, in a piece for the Sunday Times, spoke about the Duke and Duchess’ work with mental health and William’s speech about it to the Church of England last Sunday.

In addition, the Archbishop also revealed how William had been a personal support to him.

He said: “I am deeply grateful to His Royal Highness for speaking publicly about mental health and hope it might encourage others who are suffering alone to seek help and support.

“It encouraged me to seek help when I was struggling, help which was effective.”

William’s concerns for his friend’s mental health mirrors the support he has had for his brother Prince Harry. 

In 2017, Prince Harry opened up about how his older brother had encouraged him to talk to professionals about his mental  health. 

He said, in an interview with The Telegraph, that William said to him: “Look, you really need to deal with this. It is not normal to think that nothing has affected you.”

The Duke of Sussex also admitted that his previous coping strategies when trying to deal with the sudden death of his mother harmed his mental health.

He said: “I can safely say that losing my mum 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 my work as well.”

It is something William has reflected on too, telling Marvin Sordell  in a BBC interview that is due to air tonight that reaching fatherhood himself brought back the trauma of losing a parent.

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He said:  “I think when you’ve been through something traumatic in life – and that is like you say your dad not being around, my mother dying when I was younger – your emotions come back in leaps and bounds because it’s a very different phase of life.”

Many will also remember how the young William, when only a child, was a listener and confidant to his mother Princess Diana and helped through the turmoil of her royal separation and divorce. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are patrons of Heads Together and Young Minds, which offer support for adults and young people and have online hubs for accessing help. 

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