Prince Harry opens up about mental health as he carries on royal duties, says we don't have to 'grin and bear it'
In his first and possibly the last public appearance, following the announcement that he and his wife, Meghan Markle, will step down as "senior" members of the royal family and seek a life where they both will be financially independent, Prince Harry addressed the issue of mental health - a subject that he had been passionately involved in for a long time.
As a solo engagement, Harry hosted the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draw at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, January 15. During his appearance, he also met with representatives from all 21 nations taking part in the games.
Hours before his appearance, he showed support for the five-point mental health initiative launched by the Rugby League World Cup 2021 as part of their plans to launch a “mental fitness charter," in a video released on his Instagram page. The initiative is aimed at educating players, officials, and volunteers on how they could take care of their mental health and the mental health of others.
In the promotional video, Harry is seen speaking from the heart as he encourages people to break the perception that we should "grin and bear it" when it comes to our mental health.
Marking the launch of the charter, which was set to provide mental health awareness workshops for 8,000 rugby league players and their families, as well as some of the coaches, the Duke of Sussex stated that the Rugby League “isn’t just a sport, it’s a community”.
“For many years, it has been at the forefront of promoting and supporting good mental fitness, working hard to build a positive mindset for everyone involved in the sport,” the 35-year-old said in the video.
He added: “This charter will build on the brilliant work already happening in rugby league by committing to training and educating all those involved in the tournament, and the wider rugby league family, not only in how they can look after their own mental fitness but also support others to do the same.”
Harry has spoken out about mental health awareness in many events in the past. In September 2019, the Sussexes discussed the stigma that continues to surround mental health issues while visiting Monwabisi Beach in Cape Town, South Africa. A month later, Harry teamed up with Ed Sheeran to release a mock video in support of World Mental Health Day.
The Duke also released a separate video on the same day officially announcing that the 2022 Invictus Games will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany.