Prince William talks mental health to mark Pride month

Prince William showed his support for the LGBTQ+ community amid Pride Month with a heartfelt discussion about mental health.

The Prince of Wales on Friday stopped by the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in South London, where he sat down with three volunteers from two different nonprofit organizations, The Mix and Shout. His late mother, Princess Diana, was rumored to have visited the popular watering hole — one of the oldest LGBTQ+ spaces in the U.K. — alongside Freddie Mercury. She allegedly dressed up like a man to hide her identity during the outing.

Video of Prince William’s recent visit shows the royal emphasizing the importance of “mental fitness” while discussing tips with the young volunteers about how to stay mentally healthy.

Michael Lister, 20, Chair of The Mix Youth Advisory Board, explained that reaching out to charities and organizations had helped him in the past, while Alexis Caught, a Shout volunteer, said to “ask twice” if a friend seems to be struggling.

“We all have felt that same feeling that we’re different,” said Sharvari Patil, a volunteer with The Mix. She added that her mental health reached a “crisis point” during the global pandemic before she sought out help.

At one point during the conversation, Prince William cited a devastating statistic about suicides within the queer community.

“One in eight young men kill themselves in the community,” William said, citing research from Stonewall, an organization that conducts studies related to LGBTQ+ issues.

“That’s an unbelievable, terrifying stat,” he noted.

“I think guys particularly find emotions quite difficult, don’t quite know how to deal with them – strong emotions, no emotions, whatever it might be,” he continued. “And I think that’s why we’ve got to get better at having an open conversation about these things.”

The short film of the discussion was released ahead of the London Pride Parade, which kicked off in the capital Saturday afternoon.