Ten years ago, it was hard to imagine members of the royal family talking about their psychological problems, although Diana found the strength to confess much earlier.
Now it has become the norm (and it is very good!). Let’s hear what the princes and their wives have to say about themselves.
Princess Diana
Two years before her tragic death, Diana spoke about her struggle with postpartum depression. In 1995, it was unexpected, and even more so from such a positive person as she: “I suffered from postpartum depression, they don’t talk about it … It was a hard time. You wake up and don’t want to get out of bed, no one understands you, you think badly of yourself… My life quickly changed, turned upside down, there were both wonderful and terrible moments… I sobbed a lot because I wanted to get better, because I had to get up and continue to fulfill the duties of a wife, mother, and Princess of Wales … I scolded myself for not being able to cope with the circumstances.
Prince Harry
When Princess Diana died, both of her sons were teenagers. Harry was 12 years old. “I hid my head in the sand and forbade myself to even think about my mother, how will this help me? Harry recalled in 2017. “Just another reason to be upset, it won’t bring her back.” That is, I tried not to let my emotions out. And then it turned out that if you keep everything in yourself, then new problems begin that need to be solved … My brother supported me, he was a real support. He told me not to hide my feelings.”
In another conversation, he admitted: “Hiding your emotions for 20 years has had a big impact not only on your personal life but also on your work. I have been on the verge of collapse several times. And when you start talking about it, you understand that you are not alone, but a member of a huge club. It’s time to consider such conversations as the norm: a person sits opposite, drinks coffee, and admits that he had a bad day and wants to talk about it. Relieve your soul and you will feel better.”
Harry is well aware of the importance of such conversations: “Mental health needs to be taken care of, just like physical health. Depression, anxiety, and other disorders are also diseases.”
Prince William
“It was Katherine who at one time forced both me and my brother to deal with mental problems,” William said. “She is well versed in issues of addiction, family breakdown, unresolved childhood problems.”
In another interview, William remarked, “Kate and I want our children to be able to freely talk about their feelings and emotions. We also went through difficult times, but men are more likely to say that everything is fine so as not to show that they are weak. In fact, talking about problems is a sign of strength.”
“Balancing work with my personal life is not easy for me,” the prince admitted at a mental health conference in 2018. “I have feelings that I didn’t have before, I became sad and absent-minded … I take my work too close to my heart.”
In the documentary Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health in May 2020, he shared his feelings about Diana’s death: “When you go through a traumatic experience – my mother died when I was 15 – emotions can be difficult to contain. And there is literally no one to help you, sometimes it seemed to me that this state was insurmountable.
From the same film, you can learn that William does not like public speaking: “An unexpected thing helps me: my eyesight decreases over the years, I don’t wear lenses, and during a speech, I don’t see anyone’s faces. It helps — the blurry audience doesn’t get in the way of talking.”
Kate Middleton
“Mental health is a reflection of our feelings and thoughts,” the Duchess said in 2017. “It’s something you can’t see, but it affects us every day. It can be difficult to talk about it, but sometimes a friendly conversation is enough to make you feel better.”
The mother of three children understands well how important it is to support women with children: “In the first months you can get a lot of help, but after a year of a child, it becomes scarce. And most mothers experience similar difficulties.”
“It is very important to understand that these feelings and sensations are normal, that they will not last forever,” says Kate. “Helping others, we can forget about ourselves, do not give ourselves time for what makes us happy: play our favorite game, go for a walk, communicate with friends … Look at yourself, determine when you need help.”
Megan Markle
Last year, the Duchess spoke candidly about a time when she didn’t feel very well: “Every woman, especially during pregnancy, is vulnerable. This in itself is difficult, and after the birth of a child it becomes even harder … You try to be both a mother and a good wife.
Meghan also worries about the effect of social media: “A lot of people have a hard time sorting it out. You see a photo on social media and you don’t know if it’s real or a filter. Evaluating your worth becomes something weird when it’s based on likes.”
