Meghan Markle Isn’t The First Royal Who Talked About Having ‘Stiff Upper Lip’

Meghan Markle recently made headlines over her statement about having a stiff upper lip while part of the royal family. But the Duchess of Sussex isn’t the first royal to reference the idiom.

Two years ago, Prince William said that there is a time and place for having a stiff upper lip. And it should never be exercised at the expense of the person’s health.

While speaking with CALMzine, the dad of three said that he wants his three children to grow up feeling and knowing that they can talk about their thoughts and feelings openly. The second in line to the throne also said that the future generation is able to show that talking openly about their emotions is normal.

“There may be a time and a place for the 'stiff upper lip', but not at the expense of your health,” Prince William said.

Two years later, Markle mentioned a similar thing during her interview on ITV’s “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey.” She told interviewer Tom Bradby that she has tried her best to adopt the British sensibility of having a stiff upper lip, but she thinks it could be very damaging internally.

Queen Elizabeth has always maintained a strict upper lip policy since the beginning of her reign, and it has also been widely adopted by the royal family. But based on what Prince William said two years ago, having a stiff upper lip shouldn’t be done at the expense of one’s health. And the new generation of royals – which includes the Duchess of Sussex – have been proving that talking about emotions is normal and there’s nothing wrong with it.

Meanwhile, Prince William wasn’t informed beforehand about Prince Harry and Markle’s interview in the documentary. But after hearing what his brother and sister-in-law said, the Duke of Cambridge said that he hopes the royal couple is doing well.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been promoting the importance of mental health, and it seems that Prince Harry and Markle are struggling with theirs.