Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry marked World Mental Health Day on October 10 with events supporting their Heads Together campaign at London County Hall and the London Eye. The trio gave a speech in support of mental health awareness.
This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day was “Dignity in Mental Health: Psychological and Mental Health First Aid For All”. According to the World Federation for Mental Health’s pdf on 2016’s WMHD:
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“Mental health first aid is the help offered to a person developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received or until the crisis resolves… Mental health first aid will typically be offered by someone who is not a mental health professional, but rather by someone in the person’s social network (such as family, friend or work colleague) or someone working in a human service occupation, e.g. teacher, police officer, employment agency worker.”
Keeping with this theme, the Heads Together event featured people who had experienced mental health challenges and the people they turned to when they needed to seek help, as part of the #ThereForMe campaign – which is a joint partnership between Heads Together and The Mix.
The event was also to raise awareness of the fact that Heads Together is a Virgin Money 2017 London Marathon charity partner and to encourage people to sign up for and support the marathon.
While at the Heads Together event, Kate spoke to firefighter Richard McGhee, 33, and his mother Sharon, 64, about mental health in emergency services. Kate told Richard that William comes home from his air ambulance job and talks to her about what he’s seen while on the job.
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“‘She was certainly understanding with William’s involvement in the air ambulance and mine in the fire service,’ McGhee, who suffers from depression and anxiety, tells PEOPLE. ‘She was empathetic. She said he comes home and explains what he’s done in the day and tells stories of what he’s seen,’ McGhee continues. ‘It’s very similar to what goes on in my job.’
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“‘I felt that she wasn’t there because she was working, but because she wanted to be. She listened and she understood and was asking questions,’ McGhee says. ‘To have someone so high profile be the backbone of this [issue] is raising awareness. It’s going to highlighted it a lot more.'”
[People]
Just once I’d love for someone to actually say what the questions are Kate asked instead of just saying she asked questions. I’m really curious about what kinds of questions she asks people.
[Kensington Palace @KensingtonRoyal]
Kate spoke to Morgan Noquet, 19, about how she was inspired to train to become a midwife after her own midwife Mitch Denny helped her through her mental health problems in pregnancy.
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“Morgan said: ‘They wanted to know about our story and we spoke about mental health in general and how they can help break down the stigma and get everyone talking about it and make improvements. With their status and their profile the fact they’ve chosen mental health, especially as it’s got so much stigma, to hear people who everyone know talking about that is so helpful.’
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“Mitch added: ‘Kate spoke about being a mum and we talked about how her life is high profile and different from Morgan’s life day to day. But you [Morgan] were saying sometimes it’s difficult with Luna your daughter and she was agreeing with that.’
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“Morgan, who is mum to Luna, 20, months added: ‘It’s quite nice knowing that they are also parents and normal in that respect. I was saying when my mental health is good it has an impact on my daughter and she’s calm and collected, but at the same time she is a toddler and she can be a bit wild. They were just agreeing with it.’
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“Mitch added: ‘They said ‘I think we’ve got one of those’.’ She added they weren’t sure if William and Kate were referring to George or Charlotte, saying: ‘I didn’t like to ask!'”
William, Kate, and Harry gave speeches while at County Hall.
William said:
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“Thank you so much for joining the Heads Together campaign on World Mental Health Day. Catherine, Harry and I are incredibly proud to be working with you all to tackle one of the greatest challenges facing our society.
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“Mental health is not a dirty word – we all have mental health like we do physical health, good or ill. But not seeking help at those times when it all seems too much, or we are depressed or anxious, can impact the rest of our lives. Put simply, the three of us want to make asking for help no longer a big deal.
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“On the Heads Together journey so far we have seen the difference that a listening ear can make to people’s lives – whether a father supporting a child suffering depression, a soldier who has returned from a testing deployment, or a child struggling with the pressures of a new school.
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“Personally, in my work at the Air Ambulance, I see how colleagues and families help each other through traumatic moments. The three of us have learnt a lot in the past few months as we have met people. The conclusion we are coming to, is that the more we all talk about this, the more collectively as a society we can do to support one another.
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“The theme of World Mental Health Day this year matches this. It is ‘mental health first aid for all’. To us, mental health first aid means getting in there early to support people, before what they’re going through becomes more serious or even clinical. That support can be as little as a conversation and a listening ear – or it can be signposting someone to a professional service. These actions may seem little, but they are vitally important.”
Kate said:
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“We are fortunate to be meeting and celebrating today with inspiring people who have been there for friends, colleagues and family at crucial times in their lives. All of us know someone who has been through difficult emotional times, and we know how hard it can be to see a way forward.
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“William, Harry and I feel it is our duty to do what we can, with your help, to shine a spotlight on emotional wellbeing and highlight the support that is out there to prevent or manage the pain at difficult times. The three of us are coming to the realisation that more needs to be done to support people who are seeking help. Over the coming months, we hope to explore what else we can do to increase the level of service and support that people can receive.
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“But first, as William said, we must tackle the stigma that stops people asking for help in the first place. We want to encourage people to talk to one another. There are many people who are here today in order to share their own, very personal experience of the kind of support that can make the difference between coping and not coping – between good mental health and poor mental health.”
Kate then introduced two men who talked about their experience asking for each other’s help during a difficult emotional time.
Then Harry said:
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“William, Catherine and I want everyone to know how to give exactly the vital mental health support that you have talked about. It’s not rocket science, but most of us don’t know what to do if a friend or family member is suffering. Having some basic knowledge, and having the confidence to act on your knowledge, can make a huge difference to those around us – as Rich was for Dan.
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“As William said earlier, we all have mental health just as we all have physical health. Too often we think mental health problems are things that happen to other people, not us. But we will all experience pressure on our mental health at some point during our lives. The more we accept that, the better we can help each other. Catching it and recognising it early, saves lives.
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“So, it’s time we ended the shame around mental health – the fear of judgment that stops people talking or getting help. One of the upcoming opportunities we have to spread the message about ending the stigma on mental health is the Virgin Money 2017 London Marathon – one of the largest sporting and mass participation events on earth. Heads Together has the privilege of being the 2017 charity partner of the year. We want as many London Marathon runners as possible, spectators around the course and people watching at home to get involved and make it a marathon for mental health.
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“All of us have mental health. So the more we all get behind this topic, the more we can help not just the individuals suffering, but also their entire families and work colleagues as well. Together we will break the stigma forever and save lives.
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“So, thank you for supporting Heads Together. It is a campaign with huge ambition for 2017 and the years ahead that can only be achieved with the support of all of you. The challenge is great but when we put our Heads Together we can achieve great things.”
[royal.uk]
The positive: I think this was an adequate speech from Kate in terms of content – it wasn’t as empty as many of her speeches have been – and it’s good to hear that they are finally setting some sort of road map for their work with mental health, even if it is vague: “Over the coming months, we hope to explore what else we can do to increase the level of service and support that people can receive.”
Another positive: I agree with Harry that “most of us don’t know what to do if a friend or family member is suffering”. Even people who have suffered from depression themselves don’t always know how to talk to a friend who is suicidal. So it’s good for everyone to take the time to have compassion for those who come to them for help.
Now to the nitpicking, because OMG it’s been an entire year since Kate and William really got onto their mental health kick, how have they only learned a lot “in the past few months”? They have met and been talking to people seriously about topic for a year! They are just now coming to a conclusion about the topic? And the conclusion that they are just now coming to is that “the more we all talk about this, the more collectively as a society we can do to support one another” and “more needs to be done to support people who are seeking help”? I’ve know this for over a decade. Sure, this issue is a personal one for me so my knowledge of it is from my own personal experience, but they’ve been at this for a year, doing information-gathering events and meeting and talking to people from various mental health-related charities, how have they just now put this together? I thought them forming Heads Together was because they already put this conclusion together after months of coming to this conclusion (they had been on their mental health kick for over six months by the time Heads Together was announced). They seriously haven’t come to this conclusion until well after forming Heads Together? What??
[Kensington Palace @KensingtonRoyal]
You can watch Kate speak at 0:32-0:55 in the YouTube video below, and 0:19-0:41 & 1:56-2:12 in the Heads Together Twitter video below. Just from the few seconds I’ve seen of Kate giving her speech, she looked down most of the time but did quick, successive eye-flicks up to the audience.
? William, Catherine & Harry set out the ambition of #HeadsTogether and celebrated the mental health support we can all give each other. pic.twitter.com/HbXLUT2LxC
— Heads Together (@heads_together) October 10, 2016
After the event at County Hall, the royal trio took a 30 minutes ride on the London Eye. The London Eye visit was to highlight the “Light Up Purple” campaign which saw several landmarks lit in purple to mark WMHD. The Light Up Purple campaign was founded in memory of Amanda Todd, who committed suicide at the age of 15 on October 10, 2012 after suffering bullying, blackmail, and assault.
Supposedly it’s to highlight the fact that the London Eye was lit up purple that night, but I really don’t see a reason why they did the London Eye ride and couldn’t have talked to the people they talked to at the County Hall event instead, but whatevs.
While riding the London Eye, Harry spoke to Theresa Cox, 48, who is a carer for her husband, Andy, 52, who has a rare neurological condition, and tried to spot Buckingham Palace to see if the Queen was home. Theresa told the Express: “He told us to look out for his grandmother’s building and wave. He couldn’t remember if she was home or not so we were looking to see if we could spot her royal standard.”
The royal trio also met people from Best Beginnings and the Baby Buddy App.
[Best Beginnings @bestbeginnings]
[Best Beginnings @bestbeginnings]
Before leaving for the day, the royals met with a group of children from Abacus Nursery in Streatham Hill, south London, who had been walking by after a visit to the nearby London Aquarium. The children told Harry about how they had seen crocodiles at the aquarium, and when asked if they had met a Princess, one boy replied: “I met the Kate one.”
Kate wore a new dress by a new-to-her designer: the Kate Spade “Encore Rose Chiffon Dress” ($498). The dress features “a dramatic floral design that’s inspired by the roses tossed on stage at the end of a show” and is made of 100% silk with a 100% polyester lining.
I think the print is really pretty. I’m not the type of person who dresses based on season (other than weather) so I have no problem with this print and this fabric in October. My problems with this dress are that the neckline is so high and because Kate wore the dress buttoned all the way up and her hair down it seemed very constricting on her. Also, the waist seem is wonky and doesn’t sit correctly on Kate. If Kate had worn her hair up and worn a belt to cover the wonky waist seem, I think the dress would have worked better.
When it comes to the accessories, Kate went with her boring standards: LK Bennett Nina clutch in Trench, Gianvito Rossi suede pumps in Praline, and Kiki McDonough Morganite and Diamond Cushion Drop Earrings.
The boys in their outfits:
Here are a few more photos from the event, and two more quotes from the WFMH’s pdf. These quotes are the kind of thing I wish William, Kate, and Harry included in their speeches on mental health.
From the WFMH’s pdf about lack of information about people with mental health issues:
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“Many people are not well informed about how to recognise mental health problems, how to respond to the person, and what effective treatments are available. There are many myths and misunderstandings about mental health problems. Common myths include the idea that people with mental illnesses are dangerous, that it is better to avoid psychiatric treatment, that people can pull themselves out of mental health problems through will-power, and that only people who are weak get mental health problems.”
The WFMH’s pdf on the stigma surrounding mental health issues:
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“There is stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems. Stigma involves negative attitudes (prejudice) and discrimination refers to negative behaviour. Stigma may have a number of negative effects. It may lead people to hide their problems from others. People are often ashamed to discuss mental health problems with family, friends, teachers and/or work colleagues. It may also hinder people from seeking help.10 They may be reluctant to seek treatment and support for mental health problems because of their concerns about what others will think of them. Stigma can lead to the exclusion of people with mental health problems from employment, housing, social activities and having relationships. People with mental health problems can internalise the stigma so that they begin to believe the negative things that others say about them. Better understanding of the experiences of people with mental health problems can reduce prejudice and discrimination.”
[WFMH pdf, pg. 11-12]
I want to say something about the idea that the only people who suffer from mental health problems are people who are weak, because that idea was touted last week by a powerful, influential person in the United States who could potentially be a very powerful, influential world leader. Anyone who spreads that kind of false, outdated information about any group of people who suffer from mental health problems is doing untold damage to everyone who suffers from mental health problems.
If people think that their mental health problems make them weak or make it so that people (and very powerful, influential people at that) will insult them, they will not seek help. Trust me, I know that first hand. Comments that people who suffer from mental health problems are weak or can’t handle it only increase the stigma surrounding mental health. The stigma is real, and it hurts people, the last thing we need to do is increase it.
That’s why I am so hard on William, Kate, and Harry about this subject. They do have a platform to help create change and they need to do more to achieve it. They need to be specific in their wording, speak about the stigma and how harmful it is to people, not just say that the stigma exists. And they need to have an actual plan of action on this. It’s been a year and they’re still learning and just now coming to conclusions. If this is the cause they want to focus on, then they need to step it up.
Thank you for this analysis! I must say that I second your thoughts. The longer this thing drags on, the more it confuses me. I did not know what to think when William spoke about learning things during the past few months. This far the whole thing seems to have been just talking about that we need to talk. Yes, but what happens next? It’s the next step and what can be done to ensure it’s possible for those in need of help to get it that I’m missing here. I guess no country has enough public funds to secure e.g. sufficient resources for mental health organizations, and I’m wondering if they’re planning to get engaged in any kind of fundraising etc.
And what comes to Kate’s new dress, my first thought was if she really needed another new dress for this event. This one does not work on her, and she has many frilly pieces already. Accessorizing with e.g. dark aubergine might have helped a bit, but now the coloring of the dress makes her look grayish. And her hair is so heavily blow dried it makes her head look unnaturally big. I’d have loved her to repeat an old dress and show us even that way that she wanted the event to be about mental health, not clothes. Her speech was better than normally, but still – I’d love to see this campaign really achieve something.
This. But I don’t think there’s any ‘what happens next,’ it’s just about making them look good by showing up every once in awhile–and as much as I love Harry I include him in this, though I think he’s dragged into it to make W&K look better, he always seems so miserable. It’s just showing up every once in awhile, saying the same things, all I said in my bigger post below. It’s about /them/, not about the cause. Their PR. The little they do gets reported everywhere as some big massive thing, look at all the talk of Kate’s ‘work’ for mental health and how amazing she is.
Agree. There is no ‘what’s next’ and it’s just about putting in an appearance now and then.
Kate has done this shillouette a dozen times. This is her standard look and I’m tired of it. Try some lipstick and a new hairstyle already. Try a shoe with colors and patterns. Try accessories, or layering. I liked casual Kate from Canada, because at least it was a departure from her standby dress with high collar, full sleeves, high waist, billowy skirt, nude shoes, Kiki earrings, blow-out hair pulled to the front, heavy eye make-up, no lipstick, nude hose look.
Totally agree!
Either that middleton has or HM worn a similar pattern dress without the neck bow and badly tailored high waist (similar to the India cream flashing blow up dress); with an awful older looked dress with such high heels on the Eye. Only entitled middleton would dress this unbecoming a royal at such a serious cause.
And there is no speech that is less than a minute which is about all km did (see Princess Sofia, Sweden first speech as a royal wife). Prince Henry did a fine speech!
princess charlene has a pixie cut but manages to look 100 times more feminine than her, kate has no personality first, her posture is the worst, and is not elegant or well put together, she needs william 24/7 or else no one will take her seriously, poor william
+1
Charlene has an elegance that is several stratospheres above KM’s style.
Agreed JET!
The extensions have grown about 6 inches. I think Kate views herself as a teenager. I don’t see women in her age group wear such long extensions. For a white Kate seemed to think she was fooling the public, and seemed to love the reference to her luscious, shiny hair, but women have begun to doubt her and when her former hairdresser spilled the beans, she fired him. Nowadys, very little is made of her hair.
I had to stop reading this as I was so confused about the core of their involvement and what they think needs to be done to help people who are experiencing emotional issues.
I guess what bothers me the most is the constant refrain, there is not a stigma to mental health. Or, there should not be. Yeah? And, how does one achieve removing a stigma? I guess by just going to such events.
Another issue for me? The usage of family and friends to tackle an emotional health issue before a mental health professional can be called upon. I thiink that is what they want to achieve. Are these family and friends educated to do more than listen? And, are they listening in the proper way? This whole thing is so darn confusing to me.
Granted, I did not sleep well last night and I did not read through the post because I just got furious at the first part of it.
I hesitate commenting on Kate’s attire as this is a serious subject matter, but it looked like a spring or summer dress and was so frou frou, for lack of a better description . Tackling such a serious subject matter takes a great deal of thought and planning. The dress, and yes, Grace, her hair, became the focus of her part in this event. By having Harry and William go without ties, I assume that was designed to make them seem professionally attired to a point, but just like average people, too.
This campaign is all words and I am certain it is time to move beyond removing the stigma of mental illness (which will take time) and get some solid info and advice out there, too.
If there is enough public funds to support the monarchy,then there is enough public funds to support mental health treatment initiatives.
She could have worn her new tod shoes with this dress. I believe they’re the right color.
Since the stop and talk to the the kids thing was unplanned — how many parents thought the kids were exaggerating when they asked the children how their day at the Aquarium was? Too funny.
Lol, I bet their parents had a moment when the kids said they met royalty.
I don’t think there will ever be a plan of action because they can show up, say the same platitudes over and over (and IMO drag Harry into it to give it some credibility/more attention than just Kate’s awful clothes), and go off done and dusted saying they’ve done their bit. Heads Together seems utterly aimless and not worth any of the press it gets. They’re only now finding these things out, eh? They repeat the same stuff over and over. The pamphlet is far more helpful and that information should have been echoed in the speech.
This seems to me just an echo of how W&K ‘work’. They do very little, show up, say a few words if need be, and off they go feeling they’ve done something and that’s enough, thanks much, don’t ask me to show up again. They do it because they have to, not because they care.
AND PLEASE STOP COMPARING WILLIAM’S CO-PILOT JOB TO THE REAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, MEDIA, OMG. Ahem. Not directed towards you at all, KMR, but the media and the people who promote this idea he’s some hero helicopter pilot who also is involved in the trauma of what goes on. No, that’s on the medics and doctors, thanks, not on the co-pilot who is there because Granny bought off EAA. But it goes with their PR: people read about normal nice William Cambridge who is a pilot and doesn’t have to work, they think by golly he’s amazing, when they cover up the truth of all of this.
It’s just so irritating like a pebble in your shoe that bothers you more and more the longer it stays there.
Oh, and Kate looks ridiculous with her wiglets and princess fluffy hair and pink frilly dress that doesn’t fit her properly.
I almost wrote a bit calling William out for coming home and telling Kate about his day, like how many times does that happen a year, five? He’s hardly ever at his job.
Seriously, that’s what I thought. He is the co-pilot. And he gets out of the helicopter to make sure the photo ops are there so people know he’s there, when you really aren’t supposed to. Even the amazing casevac military pilots don’t get back there and don’t really know what’s gone on until they’re on the ground, they are kept removed from it to DO THEIR JOB which is get the casualty to a hospital ASAP.
William playing up the whole hero pilot thing is really nauseating considering he never goes to work and he rarely did in the RAF, either. It belittles real emergency responders, IMO.
I’m also wondering what William actually is allowed to tell. I have a friend who’s an emergency nurse, my sister and two of my cousins are nurses, my aunt is a nurse and I know several doctors, but in my neck of woods the privacy laws are so strict that they’re not allowed to tell much as the patients have a right to remain anonymous. I don’t want to sound like a nitpick, but as this couple is so concerned to remain private themselves, this sounds uncomfortable.
By the way, the kids of Frederik and Mary went to see a show in Tivoli last weekend with their nanny while their parents were elsewhere. They posed for photographs before that and there have been no complaints about their privacy being intruded as far as I know.
I thought that too. My partner actually works in mental health Nd you know what he tells me about his patients and day? Nothing. He could see my sister and I would never know. Privacy is important.
I hope William is just talking about his experience in flying and not speaking about any of the patients’ information.
I’m a nurse in the states and you can say you had a pt come in with….. But can’t say Jane Doe was in for…..or Jenny down the block type of thing. I used to work for a doc who was very personable and would see whole family’s and say oh, I saw so and so the other day. I used to get into with about saying that was a violation of HIPPA.
Does anyone know if something like the US’ HIPPA laws exist in the U.K.? I was totally bowled over too.
Ugh, W&KM are so dull and repetitive at these mental health events. All the people quoted at these events also say the same things. This topic is too big and complex for this lazy couple. They treat it like a soft focus, touchy feely issue.
Does KM base all her mental health information exclusively on W’s anecdotes as a co-pilot? From what she says that’s the case.
As for staying the course with mental health, they dropped out for quite a while until people started complaining. And Harry is only there to add some interest.
KM believes her ginormous Charlie’s Angels hair is essential to her own mental health. And she just looks scruffy in that dress with the uneven awful waistline.
I like the dress. Just not for this time of year. I know it is October. Yet I feel like this a spring or summer dress. Poor tailoring and poor posture on Waity. It’s very restricting as well. Yet I feel that is how Kate likes it. Not flattering at all in my opinion.
Now onto the speeches. Will and Kate really need to get with the program here. All fluff and no substance. If this something they are so passionate and keen on, then why not longer speeches? I just do not get it. Harry as always does a superb job. Heartfelt and passionate. That resonates with people. Not hollow and meaningless words from Will and Kate. Also why does Kate always have to have William at her side? I’m not a huge fan of William. Yet in my opinion he is her security blanket along with George and Charlotte. It’s been over five years since their marriage. And still he has to babysit her? Come on Katie Girl be a woman of the 21st century. Stand on your own two feet,pull up your big girl pants (oh wait she doesn’t wear pants),and do the work on your own.
haha love the Charlie’s Angels hair comment! So true
I have a question- did they explain what mental health first aid is? I would like to know, I am hoping it is not going to be their new buzz word?
Like the dress but wish the waistline hadn’t been fiddled with, it’s been taken up one to two inches, and it wasn’t done very well. s for the weather girl hair? The 1980s called and would like their look back.
I dont get the trip on the London Eye either. Had Kate wanted to go on it so they made an engagement around her wish, kind of like “Kate’s always wanted to see India”?
No. Neither William, Kate, Harry, nor the KP and HT Twitter accounts actually said what “mental health first aid” is. I had to look it up because I had no idea what it meant.
The last time I was in London, my group tried to get on the eye. The line was long and it cost £30+ per person, so we went home. I bet the royals hopped on quickly for free. I’m a little miffed.
The Eye is overrated. We paid in advance, didn’t have a long line, and I found myself squashed by Chinese tourists. My son liked it, so I guess that was a plus. My husband wanted to do it. Meh. We won’t do it next year when we go back to the UK.
Thanks for the heads up Ellie. Looks like that is one overpriced tourist trap I won’t be going to next time I’m in London!
Apparently, MHFA was developed in Australia in 2000. I found this: https://mhfa.com.au/
And here: http://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bmcseriesblog/2016/10/10/dignity-mental-health-psychological-mental-health-first-aid/
As part of my work, I did the Mental Health First Aid training which is put out by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (within Canada). It teaches non-mental health counsellors to provide the first stage of support for someone undergoing or likely to undergo a mental health situation. Its an easy to remember ‘ALGEE’ method, when it comes to taking the steps to provide someone with support. The training also covers some of the reasons/causes why someone will undergo a mental health crisis, such as substance abuse. Its an intensive 2 full day training, covering a lot of material, case studies and practice.
Wouldn’t it be great if one of them took the course? Then they could talk with a bit more intelligence and authority, and highlight the important work those (like you, Red Tulip) who might use the training, do.
I can actually see Harry doing this.
The print on this dress is actually sweet and pretty, but the constricting neckline and the loose ribbon look didn’t do it for me. The dress as a whole and Kate’s bad bad posture made her look like Mrs Doubtfire’s skinny sister. I don’t think it was necessary to have an entirely new dress for this event because she could have worn that printed skirt she wore the other time again.
Anyway, I am still wondering how Kate manages to wear those heels without having blistered feet? Usually I would wear them with liner socks just to protect my feet. How….?
I wouldn’t be surprised if the shoes were fitted to her feet. She has so many clothes tailored that the same certainly goes for shoes. High heels can be very comfortable if they fit your feet well, and hers have to be as she’s always wearing them.
Walking very short distance – car at the door to the building of the event, and most times standing in place/walking very slow, gives middleton an advantage in high heels.
The big hair is another story, and may be much heavier than the person.
Her hair also looks very dry and like it is full of static. She needs to lay off th blow dry.
“The dress as a whole and Kate’s bad bad posture made her look like Mrs Doubtfire’s skinny sister.” LOL, totally agree Sarah B. I am having a “dog day”, as we call here in Brazil (dog day is a hard day with many problems), and your comment made me laugh. Thanks. Kate’s posture is so bad that even when she walks with her arms at her side her posture is still bad.
LOL! I am glad I made you laugh, Jamel. That wasn’t my intention the first place but our poor dear and her “Geography teacher” husband are so lackluster that I just had to say something to let out my anger.
Mrs. Doubtfire’s skinny sister! Wow, that is the best!
Jamel, sorry you are not having a good day and hope things get better.
” . . . Mrs. Doubtfire’s skinny sister.” Hilarious!
Her posture has been relegated to abhorable now. (By me)Shudders. I can’t even imagine walking around like that.
I liked the print of the dress but the waist destroys whatever positive I have.i can’t tell if Tash got her hands on to do some alterations but the pic from the original looks just as bad but seems lower
LOLOLOL to “Mrs Doubtfire’s skinny sister”!!!! Wow that’s an image for sure ??
KMR, I agree wholeheartedly with your frustration with William and Kate’s performance. Because of their individual temperaments (self-absorbed, entitled) and deliberate avoidance of life experience (zero work ethic) their contribution to such initiatives can only ever, at best, reach a tepid point.
I agree that more concrete plans should be in place by now, made public, and measurable. It appears to be haphazard and rather vague to me. I’m glad some of the attendees of the event felt listened to though apart from that, I’m not sure what else is achieved at these engagements. I think this initiative exists simply for William and Kate to look as if they are doing something worthwhile with their time and justify their expensive state-funded existence, even though it amounts to nothing. No-one calls them out though.
As for the dress, looking at the model front and back, the waist is meant to be quite variable, yet Kate’s version has tried to even it up, and again, it is too high-waisted to suit Kate’s torso, thus making her and the dress look odd. I could see the likes of Lady Amelia Windsor pulling it off; she has an ethereal, youthful look that this dress demands. Kate mucks around too much with designer’s intentions and ruins the balance of outfits time and time again. She would be much better off employing the designer to create a bespoke version that actually fits. That, and employ a professional stylist and follow their advice.
This post by Jen is a perfect example of someone saying what I think in a much better way than I could. I agree with Jen 100%.
Jen don’t know if you were able to watch this, it’s Lin’s opening act for snl. He looks so young with the new haircut.
https://youtu.be/AsupmN90wBk
I saw that on You tube. His opening was spectacular.
Ok, I’ll chime in. I’m somewhat impressed they are still talking about this after a year. I really thought there would be 2 or 3 mentions about this, and then it would disappear like Kate’s friends. But, as others posted above, the content has not changed. It is still just platitudes. Why don’t they start to get specific?
“Mental illness” is an umbrella term that covers everything from mild ADD to paranoid schizophrenia. Just like saying “I’m sick” could mean anything from a cold to cancer. Why not start addressing individual mental illnesses? Start with the more common ones that many people can relate to, like anxiety and depression. Make it ok to talk about and seek treatment. I have a relative with schizophrenia so I read a lot about that illness. I forget which country does this, but somewhere in Scandinavia, the Netherlands or Denmark, they discovered that the effects schizophrenia and other illnesses can be greatly reduced and possibly eliminated with early diagnosis and treatment, so they added mental health counselor to schools. W&K&H could talk about early warning signs, and encourage early testing. If they are still talking about this subject in 5 years, I’ll be impressed, but only if they start getting detailed and stop with the platitudes.
I agree, Jet. I didn’t envision them sticking with this topic, so kudos to them for sticking with it for more than 2-3 appearances. However, I would say that because it’s their “focus” you’d think they could dive a little deeper into the issues than the surface level talking points they seem to stick to. At this point, they should be much more into the weeds on mental health IMO. If I showed up to my job after a year and were still doing the bare minimum, surface-level, responsibilities, my boss probably wouldn’t be very happy. Also, from a purely PR perspective it makes their appearances quite repetitive and boring when they are repeating the same talking points again and again.
I thought Kate would have dropped this cause for a different one by now, so I guess it’s something that she’s stuck with this one for an entire year.
Hi, this is my first posting on KMR. I love everything about it, from KMR’s incredible research, to the comments by every person. I change my opinions on certain subjects just by the thoughtful people on this blog. Anyway, may I put my two cents in, please?
I was on the board of directors of one of the largest mental health organizations in the world, and I truly do not understand why William, Kate and Harry have involved themselves in the mental health field if they do not address the elephant in their room (or London Eye): mental illnesses of themselves, family or friends. I realize the need for discretion and protection of identities, but their events and monotonous speeches have little impact on the public without personal stories. Come on – they could talk about their mental health issues. Kate could talk about her horrible fears of public speaking or post-parttum depression. William can express very sincerely his paralyzingly fears (my impression) of his children being exposed to the public. Or talk about why he and Kate find it very difficult to perform their jobs, knowing they are under minute scrutiny. Harry can go into detail about his mates in the war, and how he overcame the tragedies of seeing fellow soldiers die in battle. Both brothers can talk about their great-grandfather’s mental anguish over his stuttering speech. They can reference Colin Firth! They have the world at their feet, and yet they ….
Every single human being has been personally affected by mental illness. The Royals can call it brain disease, to overcome the “mental” stigma. “Relating” to the everyday person, in the right way, will help Crown and country. The Queen Mother hit a home-run (or winning goal) when she dressed in her diamonds and pearls to meet the mostly poor London bomb victims during WW 2, especially after Buckingham Palace was hit. She was both regal and empathetic. The Royals today need to STUDY her and other ancestors to “get it.”
Welcome PotomacPrincess and thank you! Your thoughts are definitely worth more than two cents and are ones we’ve wondered about for quite some time.
Harry actually talked a bit about how his mother’s passing affected him, then William chimed in about something. Neither of them has gone into great detail and Kate has never publicly admitted any mental weaknesses.
Which is a shame because it could make her a bit more relatable. You can see the anxiety all over her in most engagements they undertake from the crotch clutching to the manic grinning. Her talking about her near perfect family growing up didn’t win friends and influence people in the early days of her foray into the mental health topic. She seems to believe that having a great family will make things all better for the kids.
I sometimes wonder if their involvement reflects a need to learn more about helping themselves and through themselves their children. However, I doubt we’ll ever get the kind of confession that would be cathartic and make people truly believe what they are saying.
Love your suggestions. If they opened up more, it would add pathos and sincerity to their speeches.
Kate has been shrinking before our eyes since she got engaged. That’s not the sign of a well adjusted person and so pretending that everything is hunky dory with her while mouthing platitudes about mental health just makes her a hypocrite. The best advocates on this issue usually have experienced some form of it themselves and have overcome it or learned to cope. She obviously needs help with her issues, which is why she should just stop with this until she is truthful or gets her act together. I don’t think she cares to make that effort though.
Someday I will tell the story of my perfect family. However, the page will be blank. I lived a “normal” childhood, free of sexual abuse, cameras, and whatever. I had my Mommy, a linguist of nine languages, earning a pilot’s license, flying to Berlin two weeks after Victory in Europe, spending five years abroad, with her adventures played out in “Roman Holiday” and “I Love Lucy,” as a silent role model. She never told her children to follow her example (although she did say never wear heels when you “Walk on Washington” in 1963). My parents advice to their children? Stand up straight with your shoulders back, and act and dress like a lady, not like a little girl; show respect and never mumble; keep your hair and nails short and clean; remember you are our daughter, and never bring shame or hurt to the family name. Plus much more. Oh, yes. My Mommy and I and two of her granddaughters are/were stick thin. Several times we all gained weight then went back to our normal “anorexia” state. Please stop commenting on Kate’s weight. I look like a twig, with thin arms, legs; as a child I was teased and called a Praying Mantis.
Kate looked healthy throughout her entire childhood and adolescence and even early adulthood until she got engaged. We know that Diana was bulimic because of the pressures of being in the Royal Family so if one is going to take on issues regarding mental health, then the elephant in the room needs to be addressed. Pretending that everything is ok if one wants to promote mental health issues while the evidence to the contrary is before our eyes, not only physically but with her demeanour just makes the whole endeavour ridiculous. This is not making fun of her weight but pointing out that something is going on. Not to mention the fact that she has never held a job in her life and put her life on hold to get a prince. Whether or not this was driven by her own desires or that of her mother’s is also not the sign of a stable personality.
There is a lot of dysfunction that she exhibits, so the issue of mental health really should be left alone, especially if they are only going to spout vague platitudes.
I agree. Please let’s not comment on people’s weight.
Well, one kinda has to be glad they haven’t forgotten the mental health topic and have found something else they are keen about or smt which is close to their heart… and sure they are not doctors, nor experts in this field but I wish they would /really/ do something and that regularly!
Why didn’t Kate focus on the topic during their recent trip to Canada? Why can’t they visit hospitals regularly, meet with experts and people offering help… support those organisations, charities, projects who work on that topic every day!?
With Harry at least I can think of Sentebale, Invictus Games. Africa and children are his topics or HIV but WK, they have every chance to use their positions to make a difference but everything they do seems to lack substance.
On other note, how often is it that William can come home and to talk with Kate about his day as a co-pilot!? I don’t doubt that also (co)pilots can see things which affect them or they need to talk about but they make it sound like he work part time – he doesn’t even work there every week! Frustrating
Hate the dress. I don’t think it’s flattering on her AT ALL.
Her hair is out of control.
Yay for giving a speech.
Granny Middleton
“They have met and been talking to people seriously about topic for a year! They are just now coming to a conclusion about the topic?” Yes KMR, and I think it’s because the reasoning of William and Kate is so “slow” that they only understand an topic later. Probably if we tell a joke to them today it will take several weeks for them to understand. I know people like.
I agree with your analysis of mental health, it is not only say that the stigma exists, is to expand the subject to the point of actually cause some real help to those who are suffering.
Off Topic. I found this on a website.
Apparently there is a recent rise of interest in Katie Nicholl’s 2013 book, Kate: The Future Queen. Particularly the part where Nicholl discusses the secret charity visits Kate would make to children’s hospices, when she was still just a girlfriend. This tidbit from the book completely contradicts everything we have seen Kate done in the past five years.
A commentator, going by the name Sunflower Heart, talks about Kate’s charity visits. The commentator is apparently a hospice worker who has seen first-hand accounts of Kate’s visits.
“When Kate was asked to come for 1 hour to visit the kids, I thought, okay, that’s nice. she arrived waving smiling, collecting flowers. She shook my hand, I said “Hello, thank you for joining us today”.—For about 45 min. she walked around the room talking to the kids + listening to staff explain the work we do. It was all fine until the parents of some of my patients walked up to her and told her, “Thank you for all your doing for the children,”—that was the biggest stab in the heart I had ever felt 🙁 I put my heart into caring for those poor children, not once has any parent walked up to me or handed flowers or said something like that to me or other nurses. All the news papers called her “the children’s princess”—“she’s so amazing with children”—“she’s a great humanitarian”. We were the ones who called in + asked for her to stop by since she signed as a Patron. It wasn’t something she did “because she felt the dying need to” and she only made 2 visits out of the 10 scheduled.
I work part time as an aid in one of the hospice here in London that Kate has visited. I was explaining the reality of what takes place, versus the photos printed and pushed in your faces. She’s painted as mother Theresa/Angelina Jolie. But the reality is that Kate doesn’t do much and of the 10 scheduled visits, she only made 2. It was a bit funny seeing photos of her on vacation after she turned down a previous visit, the palace excuse was “she’s very busy” than I just find out she’s been on vacation after only 2 events this January. Sad sad sad. You have to be very gullible to become a fan of the Cambridges.
You don’t like it because it’s the truth. Most of the people fawning over William and Kate haven’t met them in person yet, I swear. It’s okay, I was the same way, until I got to actually see her in action and watch what she does, not once, not once did she reach over to hug any of the children, just cold hand shakes, and the children did all the talking, asking her funny questions, she just made faces and smiled. For people who aren’t actually there, all you see is the pictures and GIF’s and you automatically are fooled. Please. She’s going to visit a factory on the 18th, the factory is making mugs and vases, made by a company supporting our hospice. She will just be showing up for 35 min—to look at the mugs being made in the factory. I can’t believe the public is still gullible to call that sort of thing work or humanitarianism. Once again, we are the ones calling her in to visit because she is patron, Kate isn’t the one asking to come in, she’s yet to make a private visit…waiting.”
P.S. Sorry for this long post, but I found these links with hairstyles for Kate. I hope the links work.
http://67.media.tumblr.com/1405cc837625fa5918bd83a238deb6a8/tumblr_od5ow6z7WM1t63lddo2_400.jpg
https://br.pinterest.com/pin/138415388521994911/
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/32000000/blonde-kate-middleton-prince-william-32037360-306-500.jpg
http://imworld.aufeminin.com/story/20140225/n-5-kate-middleton-facon-victoria-beckham-epoque-blonde-184659_w1000.jpg
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2240135/How-Kate-Middleton-look-stole-celebrity-hairstyles.html
This is heartbreaking. It’s incredible how little sense of duty a person can have, particularly in that position where you could really do something to change the world. But if very little or practically nothing has ever been expected from you, how could you ever develop a sense of duty or even interest in doing something real?
Jamel. thanks for the excerpt. It does not surprise me one iota. The description matches exactly the person I thought Kate was and is. No warmth.
I think people get swept up with meeting someone ‘famous’, imagining them to be more than what they present. Yes, they are gullible because they see what they want to see and imagine the rest. I’d guess there are many other ‘Sunflower Hearts’ out there with similar tales of Kate. Interestingly, the ‘children’s princess’ moniker never stuck because of Kate’s awkwardness around children; we haven’t heard it for a long time.It definitely doesn’t fit, does it, if the only comment Kate can muster to Indian children’s abuse, is ‘interesting’. Just. Appalling.
I think you’re right – people get swept up when meeting celebs and famous people, and when every tiny thing gets a huge publicity, it’s easy for public to imagine these people do so much even if they don’t.
Thank you for this post. I’m glad to see the true reaction of someone who has seen her in action. And I agree with the “no warmth” description.
Thanks a lot for sharing this story, Jamel!
it’s not really surprising to me, but yet it’s really really disappointing to see her acting like this!
It’s not an easy topic but as it was supposed to be close to Kate’s hard, one really could expect her putting more effort into it. She really had the chance to make a difference but once again nothing came out of it.
Thanks so much for that, Jamel. It validates what we often assert.
Agreed, disappointing to hear but not one bit surprising. Really too bad and it will all catch up to them in the end.
Jamel, thank you! My heart aches for those hospice workers who really do make the lives of the children more peaceful. And, reach out to their loved ones, too. Hospice workers are angels on earth and deserve to be given praise and thanks for all they do.
Waity would like to think she is the second coming of the loving and caring Diana, but she doesn’t have the heart or inner warmth to do so.
Wow, this tidbit is from Nicholl’s book? Maybe it IS worth reading.
I thought those comments were in the Daily Mail after one of Kate’s visits there. That’s where I saw them.
Firstly, according to all the press reports, William hardly completes his air ambulance duties. All I’ve seen him do are those photo ops that’s all. Its been reported he only works 20 hours a week in that job. That’s barely enough to be considered “involved” in a job.
On the plus side, all 3 speeches seemed a lot more improved than previous speeches. The speeches seemed a bit more filled with emotion, and Kate seemed more confident speaking. Also I’m glad that they haven’t forgotten the issue of mental health and are addressing the issue and highlighting it a lot more.
However, I do wish that these young royals would be more “hands on” than simply delivering speeches. Wouldn’t it be nice if the 3 of them could participate in the London Marathon? That would certainly get many more people to participate. If not that, participating in another sporting charity event like the Countess of Wessex did to raise money and provide support for people with mental health issues. These hands on activities would raise a lot more awareness than simply talking about it.
I agree with you KMR. I honestly don’t see why they had to go up the London Eye. I think spending more time with guests would’ve been a lovely idea.
Kate’s dress is nice, and I do like the floral prints. However I agree KMR that the neckline is quite constricting, and the accessories are extremely boring. It would’ve been amazing to see Kate pair that dress with some maroon/dark pink pumps.
I was watching some videos and Harry looked thoroughly out of place. When he’s by himself he’s usually amazing, but today he was just a bit awkward. I think the Palace should let Will and Kate be a unit, and leave Harry to work on his own.
Sorry for the long post :p
I got the same impression – Harry seemed to be out of place. I have a feeling he’s working very hard to find something meaningful to do as he simply does not seem to be a man who’d just sit back and do nothing, and he has certainly given lots of time and effort to Sentebale and veteran issues. He was so determined to start Sentebale at a young age that he must be aware of how much you can achieve if you really get involved, and this is why a cause which mostly seems to consist of buzzwords does not seem to be his thing at all. But I have a feeling it’d look too bad in some people’s eyes if he was left to do his own thing and get a reputation as a humanitarian. That’s why this kind of odd campaigns pop out as Harry’s role remains undefined and he must somehow be linked to the “causes” the Cambridges decide to pick. I’m curious to see how long this interest in mental health and Heads Together will last, and what will come next for them.
I wholeheartedly agree about letting Harry work on his own. I find it demeaning that because he’s not married, the palace wants to group him in with W+K all the time. Single people power! I also agree that he shines much brighter on his own. Anyone would be awkward being the third wheel, especially at an event where the other two people involved aren’t enthusiastic.
Harry will be a real workhorse and asset to the family if they let him reach his potential and shine. However, I think William is probably worried about how Harry is much more liked than him and Kate…
Harry needs to find his own way to break away from the trio. He’s the one who has the kind and caring way with people. Throwing him in there with W and K only benefits them, not him He puts the attention back on the people who are in need of assistance. He recognizes their problems and also their courage. If he is interested in pursuing mental health concerns as one of his major interests, I would advise him to get involved solo. In one visit to one center, he’d probably accomplish more than W and K could do in a year.
It would be great to see him transition the mental health message into his own veterans issues and focus on PTSD and other veterans mental health issues (not that veterans are limited to certain types of mental health issues, of course).
I think we are all hoping Harry will uncouple himself from the Cambridge crazy train.
I don’t think he’ll ever be free from them. They need him for his popularity and to throw him under the bus when their foibles get too big
I’m afraid that even when he is married, they will constantly be grouped in with the Cambridges.
Kate is known as being sporty and athletic…so why not run the marathon? She apparently loves physical activity and was part of a cross-country team in her high school years (I believe…or was it college) and plus this is for mental health — her big banner cause.
Hi Shay, I don’t think we’ll ever see her running a marathon or doing anything physically challenging. She would need her hairdresser and makeup artist at some point for touch ups because she wants the world to believe she is this gorgeous superwoman/supermom. Plus she can’t run in wedges and pirate boots.
Sigh….all we can do is hope
My initial thoughts were of the current Trump wife who also wore a pussy bow and is always going to be the “little woman keeping the home fires burning” – parallel seems clear to me
+1
Oh, Oz, thank you for saying that. I thought of the pussy bow, too. I guess the word is currently on most Americans’ minds now. Fashion-wise and other. Thanks for saying it, though!!!
I was so mad she wore that top, mostly because they are my favorite style of shirt to work and now I feel like they are a statement. Ugh politics.
I thought that too. I saw a show that was a retrospective of the 80s. When they discussed 80s fashion, they mentioned the shoulder pads that made you look like a linebacker, and these blouses with the little bows. One lady commented that they were like limp penises women draped around their neck, and I haven’t liked them since. Pussy bows or limp penis bows, either way they are ruined forever for me.
Sigh. I don’t know where to begin.
First of all, I feel that Harry was dragged into this to boost W+K and my gut instinct is telling me that he doesn’t want to do trio engagements anymore. I say this because of his body language compared to last week. It’s like he absolutely has to defer to his brother and SIL and I don’t like that.
Second: I’m surprised that they’re still pursuing mental health but I don’t think they understand that a variety of things can affect an individual and cause something to happen. Here’s an example and I’ll try and condense it. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had an overactive imagination (I remember having nightmares about Miss Piggy when I was 3 years old!). I was a sensitive child who – SURPRISE! – grew up to become a sensitive adult. Shocker, I know. ?
When I received my transplant 20 years ago, I was required to take a lot of medications and one of the lovely (and when I say lovely I mean sucky) side affects from Prednisone (anti rejection medicine) is paranoia. I wish I was kidding.
Thankfully, I adjusted and life went on. In March of 2006, three months shy of my 10 year anniversary, I was diagnosed with rejection in my lungs for the first time ever (my dad was stunned that it could still happen so many years later). Anyway, to fight it, my doctors royally boosted my dose of Prednisone. From 5 mg to 40 mg PLUS I had to do home IVs of Solumedrol (which is a stronger version of Prednisone) at 200 mg a day!!
The good news is that the blast of steroids worked, my lung function stopped declining (and started to go back up) and my doctors tapered my Prednisone back to 5 mg but the bad news is that this humongous jump in medication affected my body and mind permanently.
I ended up with steroid induced diabetes and my paranoia is much more advanced. In fact, I have to do little tricks (watch something light on TV, skip things on my Facebook newsfeed, etc) so that I don’t accidentally trigger something and cause my mind to go bat-sh!t crazy and while I love this time of year, I absolutely cannot stand the holiday approaching (Halloween) because I loath getting spooked/scared and since I’m in Florida, a ton of commercials for Halloween Horror Nights, at Universal Orlando, are being shown often and I have to avert my eyes and mute the TV.
I think what I’m trying to say (and what the Cambridges don’t seem to understand) is that there are individuals who are experiencing something like this and it is not their fault at all but due to circumstances/experiences beyond their control.
As for clothes? Loretta Lynn and the 1980s called, they want their stuff (dress and hair) back please. This was a great big thumbs down for me.
Also, they met a very petite 17 year old but W+K talked to her like she was 5! ?
Harry was the only one who treated her like a person (unlike William who made goofy faces at her! Grrrrrr ?)
Sorry for writing such a long post but it bothers me when they’re still at the “starting gate” regarding mental health (nearly a year later) when so much more could’ve/should’ve been done by now!
First, you must have some kind of amazing will to go through all you have and come out the other side so full of life. That’s a testament to your spirit.
i think you are right about Harry having to be lesser than he can be because of W+K’s refusal to do anything but phone it in. I really wish they would be called on the lack of real progress. The sooner Harry can extricate himself the better.
Kimothy, I just want to say that I’m sorry to hear about the after-effects of your high-dose steroid course. I’m familiar with prednisone (improperly functioning immune system) and both its life-saving and its savaging aspects. I wish you all the best.
Kimothy: I don”t know what type of transplant you had/have, but to read of your struggles with medication side effects, I can only state that you are an inspiration to me. I have a somewhat love/hate relationship with the two meds I have to take on a daily basis which are mild in comparison to yours. Henceforth, when I feel an uge to complain, I’ll remember you.
I agree with you that W&K need to understand that mental health is a very complex, mood altering, situation/illness which manifests itself in many different forms in the human body, e.g., Pain, which is totally unrelated to an injury or illness. This duo seem to think that because they have picked up some buzz words, they are now certified psychiatrists. If only it were that simple.
Maybe, W&K should begin by questioning their parental skills, and their own behavior toward the public, vis-a-vis, Kate’s rudeness to the public, turning their backs to Justin and Sophie, and Kate choosing to publicly reprimand George.Kate is killing his personality.
Hi Vonnie!
I received a heart/double lung transplant a little over 20 years ago (June 14, 1996) at the age of 16 due to advanced stages of Eisenmenger’s Syndrome (if anyone wants the Cliff’s Notes version of what I had, please don’t hesitate to ask!). I’ve been active within the transplant community for almost all this time (I had to do my own recovering–physically. emotionally and psychologically, before I could help others) and one of the things I am is honest; I don’t sugar-coat it. I do tell people that there is a reason why they [doctors and medical staff] refer to these medications as drugs: they can, do and will make you sick and not just physically.
It’s not easy, and I definitely have my off days, but I can promise you that taking 5-20 minutes out of my day, twice a day, is worth it. 😀
Kimothy wow thank you for posting this and for actually raising awareness about how anti rejection medication can both hinder and help the quality of life. I’m going through all
Of your comments and your life experiences: it is true, WK really need to refocus their mental health kick. And have actual timelines and deliverables within an action plan and post this publicly. What are their goals? Is it to meet and talk to people suffering from mental health conditions like depression? Are they interested in dealing with depression issues in various populations like children, vets, new mothers, seniors, etc? Are they going to be meeting, talking to and learn about preventative and treatment methods of other mental health conditions like bipolar? This Heads Togther campaign, while gaining the cause of mental health a much needed media headlines, it is not specific! To this day, I’m not sure what this is trying to achieve? How do they intend to remove the stigma?? Just by promoting talking to each other?
Yes. It’s vague and lazy to talk in generalities and platitudes about raising awareness (to whom and why and what does that achieve?). Also, having no body fat she probably feels the cold and has to button any clothing right up to the top of her neck. How long has she been back in the U.K. I wonder?
The dress fits oddly; if it’s true that her staff friends alter her clothes, it’s baffling…I have a friend that can sew but I would still go to a professional if I needed something altered for workwear or evening wear.
It’s nice that the three have kept up with the cause of mental health, but I’m beginning to think their major contribution is that the press has mental health in a headline. What they are proposing as solutions are very generalized ideas. It reminds me of reading an article in Time or Newsweek a few years ago about all this research on whether animals have feelings. The conclusion after lots of research money and time was spent was shockingly “yes, they do have emotions!” I think any three year old child could tell you that…and I think any small child could tell you it’s nice to have someone you can talk to about your troubles. You don’t need months of learning experiences to come to that conclusion.
I was wondering if someone unprofessional messed with this dress! I’m a huge Kate Spade fan, and her dresses don’t have this wonky waistline off the rack. Also, if they did, you should return it, not wear it in public! The waistline doesn’t even look straight. Also, it appears she’s so thin that the dress doesn’t even fit her properly. I honestly quite like this dress and its pattern and would consider getting it for myself, but her styling and odd alterations aren’t flattering.
Spreading awareness about depression is a must as many are suffering from it and don’t know that they are , also people around them don’t know how to deal with it , I have read an article about dealing with people with depression with one conclusion that you must never tell a one with it you must be stronger and get yourself out of it because it is not about weakness or strength , I have also recently read a story , either on ELLE or Vogue about a woman suffering a life long depression and learning how to live with it which was very enlightening , two people I know have suffered from depression and both were put on medication , one managed to get herself out of them and although she’s managing but has her on and off moments , the second one is still on them because she’s still suffering from this awful problem in her life , I try to be as supportive as I can whenever she comes to me so would like to learn more about depression and anxiety and dealing with it , and I think more enlightening articles and stories are indeed needed about this subject .
As for Kate , I think her comment about her supporting William and his telling her about his day is just like those comments about PG liking everything in the world , actually I think had PG been a bit older , she might have used him instead .
Yeehaw Texas. That is a marvellous wiglet. I can’t decide if she’s cosplaying Nancy Reagan or female Dynasty cast members. Either way, it’s 1980s Texas. From head to toe.
You hit the nail on the head lol
I was trying to put my finger on it, and YES, 1980s Texas!
You’re so right Herazeus! When I saw her, I thought “The bigger the hair, the closer to God.” 😉 She really needs to tone this down!! Her hair looks tacky here. Also, did anyone notice that it looks like she got a few highlights around her face? Maybe she got her hair highlighted and cut earlier in the day or the day before and kept the style from the hairdresser?
Tatler magazine had an article a few months ago in which they said that Kate’s hair is the thing that stops her being the class she clearly aspires to be.
IIRC, they called it pageant hair. A definite no no for the aristo/ upper Middle classes
OMG it does look like pageant hair!!
“The bigger the hair, the closer to God.” That is another great comment.
That photo of her talking to the man (3rd photo) reminds me of either Tammy Wynette or Dolly Parton. No no, it’s Loretta Lynn! Google 1970s Loretta Lynn and you have Kate’s authentic twin. All that is missing is the skinny microphone.
https://www.google.com/search?q=tammy+wynette&prmd=vin&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiHqd-YmdPPAhXGXD4KHaFXBMIQ_AUICCgC&biw=1024&bih=672#imgrc=4ZPViJWRwbJhOM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=dolly+parton+70s&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwir1fOCmtPPAhVCGz4KHcYfDhMQ_AUIBygB&biw=1024&bih=672#imgrc=L613VtJWjFMH_M%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=loretta+lynn+1970s&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwij1oqqmtPPAhXKdj4KHeIjATIQ_AUIBygB&biw=1024&bih=672#imgrc=uXFE5Xpr_yZ52M%3A
She’s been channeling Loretta Lynn for quite a while now. I think that red and white get-up she wore in Canada was a little howdy from Kate to Miss Loretta.
Yeah, pageant hair, Dynasty/Dallas hair…she actually ventured into helmet hair territory on today’s trip to the Netherlands. She really doesn’t get it. It’s obvious she drank the Kool-Aid the press was pouring during the engagement about her fabulous hair and thinks the hair combined with her legs are the best things she’s got going so she has to show them both off as much as possible.
I thought of you when I saw her hair! Thinking she needed this with the red McQueen outfit that we said she needed to wear with the cowboy boots and hat =)
A successful engagement.Glad to hear that she spoke.It will be interesting to see how they progress with their work in mental health over the coming years.
On to the frivolous:Pretty print.Accessorizing properly would upgrade the look and the hair as beautiful as it is hides the collar which prevents full showcasing of the dress.
This mental health gig is like all the others the Dolittles blur through. To them it’s no different than going to a zoo or a garden party except that they have to fumble around finding their serious face among the masks in their closets. Rinse, repeat.
+1. Very well said.
It’s really getting disheartening and I’m starting to wish they would just hole up in Norfolk and become organic farmers or whatever. At least they’d be doing something and it would not require brand new clothes every day.
It seems the hardest work they do right now is attempting empathy and they are kind of falling down on the job.
Great article again KMR. I agree with everything you said here. Incidentally, were you aware that #WorldMentalHealthDay was trending on twitter yesterday? It was even reported here in my country. I doubt it’s because of the royals but it’s a testament to how much people are coming out and showing they care about this topic. These three have a great platform and audience here so I hope they don’t mess it up. I’m hopeful for Harry but I’m still on the fence with Will and Kate. I don’t really buy how they are energized about this topic. For example, did you Amanda Todd (bless her soul) was Canadian? And she was from BRITISH COLUMBIA. Her mother has a trust under her name to commemorate her. This would have been a great cause for them to highlight on their tour last week. They could have tied with Will’s anti-bullying initiative as well. But this cause was like pushed at the last day with little press coverage. It’s hard not to feel skeptical about their sincerity.
Overall, I feel like they didn’t launch this campaign properly. We should already be hearing about specific goals and missions and stuff like that. I’m gonna follow their activities for this campaign next year though and see if anything changes. I hope they do more.
On a superficial note, why does Kate’s dress have a pussybow and on the model’s pic it doesn’t? Or am I just not seeing right? Reminded me of Melania Trump’s outfit during the debate (I’ve been following the US elections). Also, constricting style is classic Kate. This is like her version of conservative. Tbh, I thought she should have worn a repeat. She needs to balance new outfits with repeats. For instance, have new outfits when going on long overseas tours but balance that with many, many repeats for domestic outings. And maybe invest in more separates so she could mix and match so the repeats don’t get boring. Yellow would have been a good color for this event. I think yellow is supposed to be the color of mental health this year. I can’t remember but I read something about it in one of the blogs. Maybe purple too. I don’t think we’ve seen her in that color.
On a final note, am I the only one who found it funny that she referred as “Catherine” in the speeches? It’s like on one hand they (KP and press both) want her to be seen as “just like us” but on the other hand she’s painted as a posh lady as well. It’s really weird.
Ok, I am done! Done with their involvement in mental health concerns. Let Harry tackle this solo and just go back to the Manor, William and Kate. Your sketchy and light attention to this issue is just making me so angry.
It is the same thing over and over again. They are “keen” on helping. They want to remove the stigma from mental illness and yada, yada, yada. How? HOW? HOW?!
William talking about his day at the office (or in the chopper) with Kate is just too alarming. Is he supposed to breach the privacy of the patients who are being treated by the medical team?
Getting friends and loved ones involved in helping those who are suffering from mental illness requires a great deal of education about the issues the patients are experiencing. I’m just appalled at the light handed way in which such a serious subject is always being treated by the Duke and Duchess of Keen. I think Harry does have a clue and would do better if allowed to approach things on his own.
I don’t see what the KW can do except raise some awareness. The topic is too broad and diverse and complex for platitudes to help. Stress in raising children is much different from schizophrenia, from post partum depression, from OCD, etc. Riding the Eye is a good metaphor for what they are doing, going around in a big useless circle. Their staff should be fired. This is a serious topic. Think what Charles could have done with this.
And Charles, get your sons away from that stylist and to your tailor.
I thought this was one of Kate’s worst appearances. Bad hair, bad dress, bad accessories.
Is the no-tie thing becoming more acceptable? I like it, but it really does scream “casual”. They may as well wear a polo shirt and khakis.
I think a jacket and chinos with a dress shirt, no tie, is considered business casual but they don’t style it properly. You don’t need the shirt open. And have better tailored clothes. God knows they have the ability. Look at how snazzy Charles and Philip are!
Especially William! Harry can wear nice suites but Williams are all terrible and his causal wear seems even worse!!
I love Charles’s suits tho. I ? a man in a good suit
I don’t really get the sense that William and Kate are all that interested in the topic, to be honest. Harry, yes. Kate gives me the vibe that she is just there to show off a new outfit, flick her hair, receive some gifts and a bouquet. Her accent is really downright annoying at this point and did she say anything meaningful? Not in my opinion. She lacks substance, but that’s nothing new.
As for that dress of hers – it looks cheap, doesn’t fit, and reminds me of my grannie’s housecoat from 50 years ago. She has worn Kate Spade before, but this particular dress is a real loser. It’s one she should wear under a coat – cover it up, please! I think it’s one of her worst dresses yet – and that’s saying something because she has had some real doosies. The only way I can see this dress being at all interesting is to ramp up the accessories – wear a leather moto jacket with it and some block heeled booties. Her prissy little pumps and clutch bag just make the whole thing look frou frou. The hair doesn’t help, either. UGH
This campaign of W, K & H, in my perception, is just still a lot of talk and platitudes. I hope they are doing things behind the scenes, such as private visits, meetings with mental health experts etc., that we may not know about. Although I doubt it.
That dress…….OY VEY…..did you see how the waist was set in, what is up with that, terrible workmanship for such an expensive dress! Kate Spade, like Tory Burch is a boring label for preppy types, so that is probably why Kate thinks she should be wearing it. Lastly, those bows at the neck…when I hear them referred to as p**** bows I think of Donald Trump. I loathe them. I think this is one of the most aging, ugly, matronly dresses that Kate has ever worn. I also thought maybe she is expecting.
KMR, I think it would be great if you did a post on the worst tailored dresses Kate has worn in the last 12 months. It is my hope that if her PR team reads your blog maybe they will see the light.
So long as their cause is erasing the “stigma” about mental health, they will do nothing more than this. It’s a genius cause for them. See, because they are high profile people, and royalty, and the British royals have a reputation for “stiff upper lip,” etc., they believe that by merely mentioning the “cause” of “mental health,” they’re erasing the stigma, or doing their part to do so. Truly, their advisors and them are brilliant. That’s it, that’s all they are going to do. And I used the quotation marks because as so many people here have noted — discuss the stigma. Discuss why it exists. Discuss the judgment people throw at parents of children with mental health issues. Discuss the differences between having a child with mild anxiety and the worries of parents whose children are severely schizophrenic. The “stigma” of “mental health” is so cloying.
And try personalizing it. Vague references to “we all know people” is not enough. I’m not saying name names, but at least name examples, even if they are examples that the organizations provide them.
Merely discussing mental health and stigma would have been cutting edge twenty years ago. It’s not now. These organizations have been breaking down the stigma for twenty years. It’s not perfect, and people still have issues with seeking help — like William mentioning men, in particular. But you’d have to be living under a rock at this point to not be aware of the ubiquity of mental health issues and that experts encourage people to seek help. And that’s the level of engagement something like this is at.
I am by no means a prude, but, just wondering where the term p***y bow comes from to describe a top that has two hanging strips of material that can be tied into a bow? As an American, I have never heard this term used to describe this type of look, which you all know by now, I hate. The term just makes me cringe and to me, any woman who wears it look all prissy. Maybe prissy bow is better.
Here ya go, this explains the history
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/10/10/melania-trump-gucci-pussy-bow-blouse-presidential-debate/91845914/
It’s from pussy cat and it’s been in use since the 30s. Certainly it’s what it was openly called in the 80s when they were very popular.
My mother wore them in the 30s and 80s, and always called them “pussy cat bows”. She was a prude. I hope a perfectly good phrase will not be permanently tainted, because we would have to give up the nursery rhyme, “pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been? I’ve been to London to visit the Queen…”
Here’s are two Wikipedia entries that might be interesting reads:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_bow
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy
My only comment about this engagement would be the line Kate said “William, Harry and I feel it is our duty to do what we can…”, I feel that it should have read “William, Harry and I feel it is our *privilege* to do what we can…” I don’t know why but for some reason hearing her go on about how they feel it is a “duty” really irked me, when really doing anything one can to help out another human being is a “privilege” especially when one has been given so much.
I understand why she said “duty” instead of “privilege”. We keep talking about “royal duties” and the royals’ “duty to serve their country” because of the money and standing that they’ve been given. In exchange for that, it is their duty to serve the people of Great Britain. So I get why Kate said “duty” in her speech.
I do understand what you’re saying but I guess what I was getting at is that, when she was talking about this being a “duty” it seems to make it something she “has” to do instead of her (and William and Harry) having the “privilege” to be of service to those in need. It really is a matter semantics and while “duty” was a perfectly correct word to use, I think “privilege” would have conveyed so much more.
What really irks me about Kate is that she didn’t give a flip about any charity, demonstrate any compassion or any interest toward any cause other than her own self for her entire privileged existence UNTIL she became part of the Royal family and then doing so became a duty. So Laurie, I agree, what should be a privilege and honor even to serve is nothing more than a forced obligation to her. And it shows.
Am I correct in saying that this stated focus on mental health–by William, Kate and Harry–only began once Jason Knauf was hired? That has to have been one of his PR strategies–to give William and especially Kate a hot topic to focus on, to help streamline their “work” and give them the opportunity to become recognized as actual leaders in a particular subject. The problem, which Jason must have realized quite quickly, is that neither William nor Kate have the interest or dedication to their “work” to actually research the subject themselves (or even read others’ research, as William has admitted), nor do they even have the curiosity or desire to even learn more. There’s only so much Poor Jason can do, only so many words he can put in their mouths, and only so far he can push them before they are exposed as the frauds they really are.
Yes, the mental health shtick didn’t start until after Jason was hired (in late 2014). Kate dabbled in it in Feb 2015 with her video message for Children’s Mental Health Week, and then the real push for this cause came in Sept 2015 when Kate visited the Anna Freud Centre for the first time. Since then they’ve been on the mental health kick.
I have not read all 111 comments yet so I apologize if I duplicate any sentiments.
I’m torn over the Heads Together campaign. On the one hand I’m thrilled they are tackling this subject. There are many arms and topics that can be explored and addressed by this project. Having the three youngish royals bring it out to the public eye helps (IMHO) reduce some of the stigma associated with it. I hope this was part of their goal.
My problem with it is as KMR stated they latched on to this subject a year ago (I actually think it’s longer because they’ve been dipping their toes in various sectors before the official start-up) and should have quite a bit more to say, and say authoritatively, about the whole thing. No reading from notes like you’ve just seen them on the ride over.
William has told us he doesn’t do his homework so it’s actually kind of wonky for him to stand at a podium pontificating about a cause when his own statements makes me wonder if he puts in anything other that the required effort when out on engagements. Same with his wife because she follows his lead. I can ieve that Harry actually studies and follows up because it’s apparent in the talks he has with people and the questions he asks.
I’ve got nothing on that dress she wore and even less for the accessories.
It was good to see them out in force supporting the program, but honestly I’d have been more engaged had W&K stayed home and Harry handled it all.
Back to reading the comments!
Lol, the reason it’s taken so long for them to draw any sort of conclusions about mental health is because William’s (and most likely Kate’s) involvement with the cause starts and ends with the public engagement. He doesn’t even bother reading his briefing notes, so why would he do any other behind-the-scenes work.
Harry surely looks uneasy here . William as usual is very casual and trying to be present and Kate seems exhausted like always .