Prince William Urges Sportspeople To Talk About Mental Health

Prince William has urged famous sportspeople to come forward and create awareness about mental health. The Duke of Cambridge believes that focusing on mental health is very important for everyone, including athletes.

There have been several reports from around the world about the lockdown having created a lot of problems for people experiencing depression or anxiety. People are struggling to find doctors because of the pandemic.

While attending a remotely held roundtable discussion with various athletes, the 37-year-old royal requested the sports stars to help him raise awareness about mental health, per The Independent. Prince William also noted that athletes should use their stature to “encourage people” to talked about their mental well-being.

The Duke is known for his work in bringing awareness on the issues related to mental health through a campaign called “Heads Up.” Prince William started the initiative with his wife Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, and brother Prince Harry.

During the conversation, he also explained that the football community has come together to educate people about mental health and the need to keep a check on it. The royal further stated that other sports should also jump right in and make this initiative a successful one.

“Through the Heads Up campaign, the football community has come together to do its part in driving lasting change by encouraging people to open up about their mental wellbeing, at the same time as embedding a mentally healthy culture across the sport. I believe that there is more we can do collectively to ensure this is replicated across all of sport,” Prince William said.

The Duke also expressed gratitude toward the athletes who joined him in the conversation and said that he is really “happy” to be there with such wonderful sportspeople. Prince William also revealed that he wants to use the “tragedy” of the pandemic to bring out a positive change.

“I believe that there is more we can do collectively to ensure this is replicated across all of sport. And that is why I am so happy to be here with you all to discuss how we can make that a reality. We have a unique opportunity to use the tragedy of the pandemic to bring about positive change,” Prince William said.

According to the media outlet, athletes like Alex Scott, Jonny Wilkinson, Lizzy Yarnold, and Dame Sarah Storey were present during the conversation.

The Duke held this meeting just a few days before the sporting world starts to get back on its feet following the coronavirus pandemic. England’s biggest football competition, Premier League, is all set to start again on Wednesday (June 17). On the other hand, the FA Cup will be resuming on June 27.

Prince William has always been vocal about his feelings on the matter. Last month, he revealed that he experiences anxiety ahead of public speaking engagements, but he uses a trick to calm his nerves. The father of three shared that he takes benefit of his poor vision to overcome anxiety, as he cannot see anyone's face without his contact lenses during public speeches.