Prince William has shared a refreshingly honest insight into life at home with his three kids and how they handle their emotions.
The Prince of Wales, 43, appeared on a special episode of BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks programme, where he joined a panel to discuss male mental health and suicide.
And in a candid moment, William admitted he still finds understanding his own feelings a work in progress.
Prince William makes confession about mental health in BBC Radio 1 appearance
During the discussion, hosted by Greg James, William reflected on the way he processes his emotions.
He said: “I take a long time trying to understand my emotions and why I feel like I do, and I feel like that’s a really important process to do every now and again, to check in with yourself and work out why you’re feeling like you do.
“Sometimes there’s an obvious explanation, sometimes there isn’t. I think that idea that mental health crisis is temporary you can have a strong mental health crisis moment but it will pass.”
His comments struck a thoughtful tone, with the future king stressing that difficult moments, while intense, do not last forever.
William’s struggle with his kids
Of course, it is not just his own feelings that keep him on his toes. William was asked whether his children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, are open about their emotions at home.
He joked: “Yes, sometimes too much.”
William continued: “I get all the details, which I love. It’s amazing. Being able to understand it, have time with it, decipher it, sometimes.
I take a long time trying to understand my emotions.
“You feel a sense that you need to fix it for everyone and that I find quite difficult. I have to remind myself that you don’t need to fix everything but you need to listen and it’s important to be ok with those feelings and comments.”
It is a relatable admission from a hands on father who, like many parents, has to resist the urge to solve every problem placed in front of him.
‘You have to talk about your emotions’
William went on to underline why these conversations matter so much, especially for the younger generation.
He said: “For the next generation, understanding emotions is ok. You’re going to have uncomfortable emotions and really great emotions, there’s a huge spectrum in between.
“My understanding, learning about mental health through my journey, has been about understanding why the previous generations didn’t talk about it.
“They kept to themselves and handed that mantle onto the next generation, not deliberately, but that’s all they knew.”
Determined to see change, he encouraged young people to break that pattern: “You have to talk about your emotions, you can’t just bottle them up and pretend they don’t exist because that’s when it all goes wrong.”
How Prince William and Kate parent their kids
The Prince and Princess of Wales have consistently been open about their parenting approach and the choices they make for their children. One firm rule in their household centres on mobile phones.
Speaking to Eugene Levy on his show, The Reluctant Traveler, last year, William revealed: “None of our children have any phones, which we’re very strict about.”
As ever, William’s message was clear. Whether it is at home with George, Charlotte and Louis or on a national platform discussing mental health, he believes listening matters, talking matters, and breaking old habits around silence could make all the difference.
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If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, contact The Samaritans on 116 123. They are available for free at any time.
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