“You know what? You can come back,” Rai replied. “This seat, I’ve kept it warm. I think you’ve done a very good job!”
During the chat, the royal couple sat down with mental health advocate António Ferreria, Emma Hardwell from charity The Mix, music therapist Ben Cowley and Dr. Abigail Miranda from the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families to “have a meaningful conversation about mental health.”
Prince Williamurged people to build a “toolbox” of techniques and coping strategies to help them deal with unexpected obstacles.
Kate Middleton and Prince William.BBC
“A lot of people don’t realize what they need until it actually comes along,” the Prince of Wales said. “You can be living one life one minute and something massively changes, and you realize you don’t necessarily have the tools or experience to be able to tackle that.”
“If we can’t look after ourselves we’re not going to be able to tackle the issues we feel we have to on a day-to-day basis,” he continued.
At one point, Kate asked, “I’d love to know, and maybe the listeners also will be interested as well, how do you as individuals look after your mental health?”
In reply, a guest told her that the most important thing for them was being “aware” of their mental wellness.
“Not every day is going to be roses and sunflowers. I know some days I’m going to have to push against the clouds to see that sun again,” the man said. “You can’t always run away from it, sometimes you have to really face and conquer them. With practice, there’s progress.”
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Princess Catherine added, “There’s no right or wrong. Different things will work for different people, and it’s just sometimes trying different methods, different opportunities that arise to help best support you.”
“Everyone has mental health, in the same way as their physical health we have to look after it, in the same way we go to the gym, we need to look after and nurture our minds as well,” she said.
Prince William and Kate Middleton.Chris Jackson/Getty
Another lighthearted moment came at the end of the broadcast, whenPrince Williamsaid, “Thanks for listening,” three times in different ways. Kate then chimes in, “Please use all three,” to laughter.
The Prince and Princess of Wales previously appeared on BBC Radio 1 in April 2017, surprising DJ Adele Roberts, who was running the London Marathon for the royals’Heads Together initiativethat year.
The royal couple has long been dedicated to the cause of mental health, launching the Heads Together initiative in 2016 to destigmatize conversations around mental health. Leaning into the popularity of the U.K.’s favorite sport, Heads Together teamed with the Football Association (English soccer’s governing body) to launch the Heads Up campaign in 2019, which uses the sport to segue into discussions on mental wellness.
William and Kate continued to spread the message during the pandemic, from leading a star-studded broadcast duringMental Health Awareness Weektovisiting children’s centersand checking in onhealthcare workerslast year to show support.
source: people.com
