As part of the ongoing Heads Together
campaign, Prince William, the Duke of
Cambridge has opened up about his mental
health and discussed the death of his
mother with GQ’s Alastair Campbell, a
mental health campaigner, who shares a
common cause to tackle the taboo around
mental health.
In a wide-ranging conversation the Duke
reveals his determination to get the nation
talking more about emotions and feelings.
His Royal Highness was photographed for
the magazine with The Duchess, Prince
George and Princess Charlotte by Norman
Jean Roy at Kensington Palace in April. Read
some selected extracts from the interview
and see some of the photographs by Roy
below:
Prince William on missing his mother
Diana, Princess of Wales
“I would like to have had her advice. I
would love her to have met Catherine and
to have seen the children grow up. It
makes me sad that she won’t, that they will
never know her.”
Prince William reveals the ultimate goal of
the Heads Together campaign
“Smashing the taboo is our biggest aim. We
cannot go anywhere much until that is
done. People can’t access services till they
feel less ashamed, so we must tackle the
taboo, the stigma, for goodness sake, this
is the 21st century.
I have been really shocked how many
people live in fear and in silence because of
their mental illness. I just don’t understand
it. I know I come across as quite reserved
and shy, I don’t always have my emotions
brewing, but behind closed doors I think
about the issues, I get very passionate
about things. I rely on people around me
for opinions, and I am a great believer in
communication on these issues.
I cannot understand how families, even
behind closed doors, still find it so hard to
talk about it. I am shocked we are so
worried about saying anything about the
true feelings we have. Because mental
illness is inside our heads, invisible, it
means others tread so carefully, and people
don’t know what to say, whereas if you
have a broken leg in plaster, everyone
knows what to say.
Prince William on the imminent 20th
anniversary of the death of his mother
Diana, Princess of Wales
“I am in a better place about it than I have
been for a long time, where I can talk about
her more openly, talk about her more
honestly, and I can remember her better,
and publicly talk about her better.
“It has taken me almost 20 years to get to
that stage. I still find it difficult now
because at the time it was so raw. And also
it is not like most people’s grief, because
everyone else knows about it, everyone
knows the story, everyone knows her. It is
a different situation for most people who
lose someone they love, it can be hidden
away or they can choose if they want to
share their story.
Prince William on the importance of family
“I could not do my job without the stability
of the family. Stability at home is so
important to me. I want to bring up my
children in a happy, stable, secure world
and that is so important to both of us as
parents.
“I want George to grow up in a real, living
environment, I don’t want him growing up
behind palace walls, he has to be out there.
The media make it harder but I will fight for
them to have a normal life.”
