As controversial as they are, royal families serve several purposes in society. Often these are to do with culture, identity, history and di...
As controversial as they are, royal families serve several purposes in society. Often these are to do with culture, identity, history and diplomacy, but another is emerging — advocacy. Perhaps there is no better time for these global figures to be speaking about one of the most concerning issues of our age: mental health.
The much-adored Princess Diana was one of the first royal pioneers of mental health and wellbeing. During her interview with BBC’s “Panorama” in 1995, Diana was the first royal to ever open up about post-natal depression. Diana also spoke out about wider mental health issues, such as eating disorders and depression, inspired by her own experiences with bulimia. In the “Panorama” interview, she described her experience with depression: “feeling you didn’t want to get out of bed, you felt misunderstood and just very, very low in yourself.”
Despite her tragic death at 36, her passion to raise awareness about mental health lives on through her two sons — William and Harry. Both sons have spoken publicly about their experiences with grief and how it has led them into bouts of depression and anxiety.
Prince Harry has openly discussed problems with self-medication. In an interview with “The Me You Can’t See,” he said, “I was willing to drink, was willing to take drugs, as well as trying to do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling … and I would find myself drinking, not because I was enjoying it, but because I was trying to mask something.”
For William, his experiences in the armed forces took a dramatic toll on his mental health. After serving in the Armed Forces in an air ambulance, he was left with a great deal of trauma after seeing so much death and pain. William has stated, “For some reason, we’re all embarrassed by emotions — British people particularly — we’re very embarrassed by revealing our emotions.”
Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton has also spoken publicly about how motherhood affected her mental well-being. She is a strong advocate for breaking down existing stigmas around mental health and motherhood. When she became a mother in 2017, Middleton described the experience as “overwhelming.”
“There is no rule book, no right or wrong. You just have to make it up and do the very best you can to care for your family,” Middleton said at an event for Best Beginnings, “For many mothers, myself included, this can at times lead to a lack of confidence and feelings of ignorance.”
This led to Harry, William and Middleton joining together to launch the “Heads Together” campaign in 2016. Heads Together is a coalition of eight mental health charities, including Mind and the Campaign Against Living Miserably. This campaign’s agenda is to challenge existing stigmas about mental health and promote more open conversations, as well as to fundraise for start-up mental health services. Heads Together has brought in public figures such as Gareth Southgate to openly discuss their experiences of mental health and change the national and international outlook on personal wellbeing.
Aside from the British royal family, there are other royals from across the globe speaking out on mental health today.
For instance, Princess Amalia — heir to the Dutch throne — has candidly discussed her mental health and is open about seeing a therapist. She believes mental health is as important as physical health. “Talking to a professional every now and then is quite normal,” she said, according to MQ.
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, whose family was devastated by the suicide of her ex-husband, has also advocated for the importance of greater awareness of mental health on a national and international scale.
Therefore, while royal families have plenty of controversy to fill the tabloids and institutions which warrants criticism and speculation, it is important to acknowledge their contributions to mental health advocacy. Born into some of the most influential positions in the world, they can make a huge impact on the issues we face as a global community. To give credit where it is due, the younger generations of royals are at the beginning of something great in the international movement for a happier and better global community.
