Will William, Kate & Harry continue with mental health and Heads Together?

Will William, Kate & Harry continue with mental health and Heads Together?

Now that the “mental health marathon” has come and gone, where do Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry go from here? Will they continue supporting mental health causes and Heads Together, or will they drop it and move on to the next cause?

William, Kate, Harry cheer on runners at London Marathon s
[Kensington Palace @KensingtonRoyal]

Over the weekend, Camilla Tominey at the Express shared that the royals originally intended for Heads Together to culminate at the London Marathon, but due to the positive response to it they’ve decided to continue with it.

    “The royals originally planned for the Heads Together initiative to culminate in the ‘marathon for mental health’.
    “A Kensington Palace spokesman said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have been absolutely blown away by the response this week. Conversations have not only been started around the UK but around the world. They have made great strides in helping to end the stigma surrounding mental health but they have been so encouraged by the response that they now want to take it much further.’ […]
    “Mental health charities have been flooded with calls as a result. The royals now plan to ‘continue the conversation’ on mental health by championing the voluntary sector.
    “Almost £10million is believed to have been raised by The Royal Foundation and Heads Together, which will be ploughed back into digital initiatives to help people with mental health problems, better training for counsellors and more research into depression and other conditions.”

[Express]

“Start a conversation!”
“Okay, will you have a conversation with me?”
“Nah.”

I’ve been complaining about Heads Together for a year for seemingly only caring about the London Marathon and not having any concrete goals or plans, and now I know why: Because Heads Together only cared about the London Marathon and had no other goals or plans.

I kept asking what the royals and Heads Together planned on doing after the London Marathon, and so many of you kept saying that you thought it was supposed to end at the London Marathon, and I kept saying that it wasn’t. But I was wrong. It was supposed to end at the London Marathon. So I apologize to everyone that I disagreed with on this over the past year, because you guys were right and I was wrong.

I hope some of that £10million goes to the eight charity partners. As Jen pointed out in the comments, the Heads Together FAQ question about where the money goes has changed from a year ago.

A year ago, the “Where will my money go?” question was answered with this: “If you are successful in getting one of our Heads Together charity places in the London Marathon 2017, all the money you raise will go directly to the charity you chose on your application form.”

Now, the question, “What will my money be used for?”, is answered with this:

    “To ensure the right help is available to anyone seeking mental health support wherever they are and whenever they need it, funds raised for Heads Together will be invested in a range of new and innovative projects, and in programmes to meet immediate need. Some of the funding will enable Heads Together to fulfil the demand created by the campaign – our partners have seen on average a 50% increase in demand for their services since Heads Together was launched in May 2016 and this investment will enable them to increase and improve their response. Additionally a combination of new projects and initiatives are being considered: Using digital technology to improve the quality and availability of education about mental health; Improving resources for schools, employers and the military to enable people to get support wherever they are; Using digital technology to transform signposting to appropriate support; Using digital technology to increase the availability of support online. All of the funding is being used to ensure people can access the right help, in the right place at the right time and the projects will be an exciting new phase of Heads Together to follow the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon.”

So it does sound like Heads Together is planning to continue now that the 2017 marathon is over.


76 thoughts on “Will William, Kate & Harry continue with mental health and Heads Together?

  1. A very positive step. Lets hope they now run with the ball.
    Keep things happening, and don’t stop here.
    Well done.

    P.S I hope no one minds me mentioning it is Anzac Day here in Australia. I’m sure my fellow aussies will agree it is a special day, to reflect, remember the sacrifices of past, recent and current serving defense personal in hotspots around the world, Gods speed with you all.
    Lest We Forget

    1. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
      Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
      At the going down of the sun and in the morning
      We will remember them.

      I’m an American and have no ties to ANZAC Day but it’s a beautiful stanza and so poignant. Thank you to all the Aussie and Kiwis out there and their sacrifices.

      1. Ellie thank you for the verse, it is a very moving piece, it doesn’t matter how many times you hear it. The last post played is so beautiful, whether it be my bugle or trumpet, it has the same effect, but even after all this time when it is played the tears still come for me.

        1. I’m like you Sophia, I always cry when I hear The Last Post.

          (For those who do not know it, it’s played by a single bugle and is very moving)

          1. Cathy I think it has that effect on a lot of people. You could hear a pin drop when it starts it is a very reverend moment isn’t it.

    2. I’m delighted that you commerate and communicate about Anzac Day. I’m not Australian, but have an interest in WW1, so last year I did a course at Monash Unjversity, it’s a free online course. It was rewarding on so many levels, I cannot praise it enough.

      https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/ww1-stories

      My familt served in WW1, so I always appreciate the effort to remember, thanks.

      1. A time to remember and honor the memories of those who served and their loved ones. They should be in our minds and hearts other times, too. Thanks for the reminder Sophia. I trust all is well with your and your daughter.

        Thinking of all my relatives who served in various wars. Some still living, others now long gone. Their service and the sacrifices loved ones made, or are making, is to be appreciated by everyone around the world.

        1. Good morning Jen,
          Thank you for your kind words more stable now, new meds kicking in, see how we go.
          You are right it is a very good reminder or past but also present. We have over 2000 defense force personal right now in the hot spot Iraq. I can only imagine the worry of the loved ones back here at home.
          My son served his country in the form of the Navy. He saw deployment and at a young age, the experiences he had will never leave him. He served last year on HMAS ANZAC with the 100 year anniversary. For health reasons he decided to not resign after his time was served, but was very proud yesterday watching his still current serving Navy mates marching. It certainty made him into the lovely man he is today. As every year passes you will always remember your past and present relatives Jen that is what is so special about Anzac. Take care

          1. Hi Sophia

            Thank you for the update on how things are with you and your daughter. It makes me happy to hear that you and your daughter are both well at the moment.

            Thank you to your son for serving too, I grew up in Devonport, where the NZ Navy in based, so feel a strong connection to our Navy.

    3. Thanks for the comment Sophia

      Yesterday (25 April) is a special day here in New Zealand too! Most of the time there is usually talk of the (friendly) rivalry between Australia and New Zealand (lets not mention that cricket match and underarm bowling right?). But every 25 April both countries celebrate our common bounds and we all stop and remember those lost in past conflicts, especially in World War 1.

      It’s a good time to stop and remember.

      Lest we forget!

      1. Hi Cathy,
        Thank you for your kind words.
        What you said is so true. The common bounds are well and truly cemented and unite both countries. I feel that is more important now than ever.
        Cathy you live in a very beautiful part of the world.

  2. So will money raised by runners in the Marathon go directly to the charities of the runner’s choice, as stated a year ago?

    And the rest raised independently eg from galas, other donations, Telegraph 2016 Christmas Appeal gets divvied up:
    Immediate – more counsellors/ better trained counsellors to all 8 charities;
    Immediate/medium term – digital initiatives (all 8 again);
    Long term – medical research, I am assuming, for serious mental illnesses?

    Cookie posted a link to an excellent critique by a HuffPo journalist, asking that the royals’ shift their thinking to serious mental illness rather than limiting it to emotions in the normal range of experiences.
    http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/16197838
    Whether they’ll want to do that, we’ll need to wait and see. It would require a much greater commitment than repeating a slogan.

    1. It seems like they’re not deliberately obfuscating, to me; it’s just hey have no idea what is going on, what will happen, and they’re so disorganized it’s just a mess just like KP itself.

      That is a great article though I hate giving clicks to HuffPo. I’m seeing so much worship about W&K (not so much about Harry?) about the video they did and how wonderful they are and I want to scream. “But they’re not DOING ANYTHING!” It has its aim done for them and their PR machine: make them look good, busy, compassionate, which at least I don’t see W&K as any of those.

      I just want those eight partners to get their desperately needed funds as they were supposedly told but it seems like they will never see it.

        1. I think so. I mean, they talk about mental health! Yay! They are heroes! Love love love! Gag me with a flavor straw, as my dad would say…

          1. Yes, talk talk talk, grin grin grin grin, put on those silly head bands and hang out at a picnic table chatting with each other. I’ll save my appreciation for those who are battling mental illness every day, and the workers who don’t need cameras on them while they comfort families, encourage those who are so bewildered, let people know that mental illness is treatable and those who suffer aren’t whack a doodles. And a happy childhood is no guarantee either way. Some happy children develop illnesses, and some who have horrible childhoods are the very ones on the front lines. I can’t see these three as anything but expensive little ‘do gooders on their own terms’. Couldn’t the cost of having them there with their security and entourage, waity’s new outfits and jackets have gone into the actual work. I have a mentally ill son, so I think I can feel free to speak, and as a matter of fact depression and alcoholism run rampant in our family. I get more from KMR and other sites with knowledgeable and caring posters than I do from those three. And why is it three. It’s none of my business and I’m hardly ‘royal’ but Harry seems an extra appendage, and to me that’s weird, just as weird as the ‘closeness’ shown in the past between Pippa and Mallowman. Not to mention the umbilical cord that has a longer shelf life than soup. Weird isn’t the right word for Harry’s place, it’s more like odd. A married with children couple needing an extra? Something else, that water tossed at the ‘royals’? Someone said that the bottle could just as easily been filled with something not so innocuous, so where were the RPOs letting the ‘plebians’ get so close to the ‘special ones’?

          2. Royals, that’s exactly how I feel about the commercials to help save a child/animal. Yes, it needs funding, but the amount of money it takes to make the commercials and pay the actors in it could be better spent on actually doing something for the people who use the services. Look at the money that Kate has spent on clothes since she became a royal. That would go A LONG way to help ANY of the charities they are supposedly “keen” on supporting. Honestly, the more I learn about these people the more I hate what they represent. One of my best friends is a recovering addict. Where’s the discussions about that? Oh right, Kate dropped it like a hot potato.

          3. Miss k, they always say the costs for those things (if done right) are small to what they can make. I used to question those big gala dinners and what not but clearly they help.
            The Sarah mclachlan ASPCA commercials make me cry every time and I read somewhere those ads helped raise over 30 million for the cause. I don’t know if she donated her time and the use of her song but it clearly has done some good

          4. It depends. The NYC trip and St Andrews event? It was reported that the royals-free fundraising lunch for St Andrews raised far more than the royal dinner. They had to remove tables from the dinner event, thereby reducing the number of tickets, so they could say the dinner had “sold out” to cover it up.

            Attendees at the dinner event weren’t allowed anywhere near W&K, and W&K never circulated around the crowd talking to people. Sat at the head table, gave a speech, left.

      1. I read the new FAQ answer several times. It sounds like they are planning to use the money to set up a bunch of websites? Providing information about resources? Am I reading this wrong? The money won’t be used to help people, just to provide info about orgs that help people. WTF?!?

        1. I am reading this exactly like you Red Snapper, they will use the money to “plough back into digital initiatives to help people with mental health problems, better training for counsellors and more research into depression and other conditions.” The charities need the money and tre trio will give it to “digital initiatives”. How will that be?

        2. I read it a little differently. Checking through each of the eight charities’ websites, they appear to cover all manner of things eg apps to relieve stress and to find local services, discussion boards, live chat (all The Mix) through to more practical research initiatives (Anna Freud) So I’d guess the money will go to extending already established programs and initiating services for currently less developed online presences (Contact)? Face-to-face counselling also gets money to meet the increased demand for services. I’m guessing the charities have made their wish lists known to HT as to what they need.

          1. 1+ Maven. I am worried that with the lack of transparency people are going to project what they think about where the money will go. That’s why I want to see financial statements. They’ve been way too deceptive for me to trust them point blank.

          2. MavenTheFirst

            I’m with you, I just wish they would employ someone who is articulate at KP as some of the stuff they are releasing is very hard to understand as it is so inarticulate! A great example is the Instagram post about Anzac Day, at first reading it makes it sound like the writer thinks the ANZAC soldiers came from one country?

    2. That article said everything I feel about HT. They’ve been off message from the start. HT is about mental health, not mental illness. There was no long-term game plan. The royals rode a trend to give themselves a PR boost. And we are not sure if the money raised will go to the 8 original charities. This whole exercise has made me dislike all three of them even more.

  3. KMR – I always appreciate the due diligence you put into learning about the royals’ charities, especially Heads Together. I’ve learnt more from your posts than most newspaper articles and I like the fact that you write as a critical friend – you want the campaign to succeed because it’s an issue that needs support.

    I’m surprised that the marathon was always seen as the culmination for HT and am glad they will keep it going. But, I hope the aims and use of funds is much more transparent in future and they get better at balancing HT with their other important patronages.

    I do hope some of the money raised goes back to the partner charities. A 50% increase in calls is a huge jump in resources and they will need increased funding to meet the increased demand. Maybe a few royal visits to the partner charities would help shine the light back on them?

  4. I’m happy that they’re going to continue with the Heads Together initiative. BUT… it really does show that it was a whole load of PR for them. Call me cynical, but I can almost hear them say “oh look, we look awesome doing this, we should keep doing it”. And where is it going to go from here? Are they going to keep saying “start a conversation” thing? Or are they going to do some real work and build on that? There’s SO MUCH more to mental health than just talking about it. And after a year, it’s unacceptable that the only thing they have been able to say is to talk about it.

    1. They’re going to show up on video and audio and pat themselves on the back again and again about how they’ve successfully lifted the lid off the babbling pot of soup (typo stays).

    2. Where can they go from here? The problem is that the logical next step is to improve access and resources for mental health services. That gets political and requires government funding. They cannot participate in that type of campaign. That’s part of the reason why I think this was a somewhat dumb cause for them to get involved with because besides “starting a conversation” they can’t really campaign for much else.

  5. I hope they add in advocacy for orphans. Because after they were left all alone after their mother’s death……….oh wait, they had their father there to support them. It saddens me that the 2 princes give no mention of their father and I think he deserves better. I don’t want to listen to any more of their self serving talk on mental health.

    1. It was rather sad that through W&H’s various “conversations” they never once mentioned their father or anyone in their family. Of course, one supports one’s child through any difficulty without any thought of appreciation or thanks but a grown child should be able to be grateful for that support and be able to acknowledge it. I hope, at least they have acknowledged their families support in private.

  6. Reading all the insightful comments from the previous post, two things struck me:

    1. The Tiresome Threesome has stumbled upon a self-perpetuating (trendy) PR goldmine with little effort; it is clear their original intent was to elevate their own lazy profiles and now they have added an ex BBC operative to make it so.

    2. Fuzzy plans have been extended grandiosely thanks to the frenzy of PR. Why? Because that goldmine, in effect, the snazzy Royal Foundation, in their minds, might rival The Prince’s Trust. And I do mean ‘compete with’. All play and little work and crushing Papa. Jackpot! It’s speculation on my part, but given their continuous, vicious shading of their own father and expedient sainting of Diana, and Willy’s deliberate opposing court, it’s a possibility.

    1. I think you may be giving them too much credit with number 2. I don’t think any more thinking and planning went into this then their staff saying here is a trendy cause that all 3 of you can dabble in for some PR and to increase your profile in the setting of an increasingly work shy image for all three of them. And now that it has successfully gained them positive PR, they will continue it. I don’t think any of the three participated in any planning or development of the campaign. The spiting of Charles, if that’s a motivating factor, is just a bonus for them I think.

      Though maybe they should take their own advice and get family therapy with their father. There are some serious issues they need to work through.

    2. Apart from the HuffPo journalist willing to take a sharp look at the royal trio’s ‘work’, I wonder if after all the froth and hoopla, other media will cast a critical eye over the substance? It’s unfortunate that royal status precludes almost anything but fawning.

      Hmm… I think you might be giving them too much credit with (2). It would require real work of substance, and the trio is just not up for that if you look at their patterns of behaviour. By all means, airbrush Charles out of their formative years, and set Diana up for sainthood, but looked at dispassionately, W+H come out of it looking churlish, vindictive and in desperate need of deep therapy themselves.

      1. Regarding (2): I’m guessing it’s largely unconscious and a bonus. I’m gobsmacked that neither son would take up the reins of the Prince’s Trust. Instead, the boys created another foundation.

        Here is part of the mission statement for the Prince’s Trust:

        “Many of the young people helped by The Trust are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness or mental health problems, or they have been in trouble with the law.”

        My guess is, like yours, that the Trust would be actual work given Charles’ overriding involvement and the established nature of the charity. By creating another foundation, it takes the onus off the princelings to really dedicate themselves to mental health, and ride the PR train and not have to apply themselves.

        Meanwhile, invoking the spirit of Diana’s causes, since she’s really, truly dead, gives them broad leeway to faff about because she’s not there to say differently. What about the promised focus on suicide in men, Willy? What about those gosh darn addictions, Katie? What about…well, what about anything Harry with your royal foundation? What’s it all about, Harry except for supporting your lazy, undeserving bro and being complicit in trashing your dad?

        ITA agree with your observations.

  7. It says in the article they will highlight the volunteer sector of mental health, which makes me think they will continue to avoid discussing the more difficult mental illnesses which need medical research and professional support.

    But, Heads Together was able to raise ten million in less than a year of effort, and that’s a great start. So, here’s hoping it can grow into something really worthwhile…

    What makes me skeptical about Will, Kate, and Harry (in this case – not with Invictus or Sentebale) is the idea that if Heads Together was successful, only then would they consider continuing it. I think Charles was determined to see the Princes Trust grow, no matter the critism he got the first rocky years. He would learn from his experiences and make it work. I think Diana took on talking about AIDS and Landmines, even though others likely told her they were difficult topics and she might be put down…

    Camilla works with domestic violence victims, and there are little photo opportunities there. The progress in such areas is painfully slow and incremental. If you’re an advocate, you know you’re in it for the long haul and it will be an uphill climb.

    Whereas, it always seems to me that the Cambridges are thinking of their image more than true goals of their work for others’ sake. Maybe I’m completely misreading them (I hope so). Time will tell.

    1. Didn’t the EACH hospice appeal, Nook I think, want £10m, and they’re still fundraising with little assistance from Kate. A bricks and mortar effort giving care for children and families, tangible, measurable results and a better way to spend £10m.

      1. Yes, EACH has been trying since late 2014 to raise 10 mil and has only raised 5. And supposedly HT has, in one year, raised 10.

      2. Ed Sheeran is a celebrity patron and has done more for EACH than Kate would ever want to, because Kate. Doesn’t. Care.

          1. An auction of clothes that he wore went for more than £7000.00 he also sang at a fundraising event last yr (Kate of course didn’t go) and it raised more than 250,000.00 I believe. I don’t think that’s too shabby. I’m sure he’s done more but that’s all I remember.
            He seems more involved with the charity than Kate

          2. It was the inaugural fund-raising gala for EACH, and Kate Middleton didn’t bother to attend. She went to a private aristo dinner months before, but not to the event that (gasp) general public could purchase tickets to attend. No wonder they signed someone else (Ed Sheeran) to try to get the fundraising job done.

    2. I agree. I also think that’s why the entire campaign so far has been confusing. There’s not mission statement. There’s not a lot of information about it. Honestly, the only thing I remember about it is “let’s start a conversation”. And to be honest, that’s only really because it’s so similar to the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. Now that’s a campaign I stand behind. Now that they’ve decided to continue with it, I wonder if they’ll clear up any of the confusion. Maybe they’ll finally put out a proper mission statement and goals for this initiative. But call me cynical, I don’t see it happening.

    3. For all that I enjoy following the lives of these young royals I personally find Charles and Camilla far more interesting. They have some depth, solid experiences in life, have come through hardship while the entire world watched and disapproved (me included)- they just have substance. Honestly, if I had a choice on who I got to meet and spend a bit of time with, it would hands down be the Cornwalls though I am closer in age to the Cambridges. Can you imagine unedited conversation over drinks with Camilla? Priceless!

      1. I would love to hang with Charles and Camilla. Sense of humor, Camilla is down-to-earth and warm, and a total riot. I bet together they are heaps of fun. I’d love to talk to Charles about everything, he’s so well-read and articulate and intelligent.

        It makes me irked their engagements and work get very little attention. Especially Camilla’s in sexual abuse/assault/domestic violence, which is so important, and some of the things she has promoted have changed so many women’s lives for the better.

  8. To me, this is mental-health lite. I suppose on the up-side, this campaign did help to raise awareness that people who do have problems do not always want to speak out about their problems due to fear of being marginalized or simply not knowing where to turn for help, so bringing these organizations into the public consciousness was a good thing.
    I have thought quite a bit about this whole Heads Together thing and I really resent the fact that Harry did not do his interviews sooner as this would have given the whole thing more focus. Please know, I do not doubt for one minute that his losing his mother was a traumatic experience but he waited until the end to divulge all this so there could be a big PR push so the $$$ could roll in.
    So now, it is up to the Royals, to keep “the conversation” going and to focus on more tangible mental health issues such as depression, being diagnosed as bipolar etc…but will they??

    1. Mental health lite So aptly expressed.

      Again. it’s the dumbing down of the average person worldwide, I assume.
      Yes, they came out smelling like roses in this effort. Mostly because the average person questions few things.

      I do want to give them some credit, but in the long run, how much work did they actually do? Just memorizing a few talking points and admitting to a few issues they faced? Harry was the more successful one, I think.

      Can’t you just see William and Kate sitting around after dinner and asking each other a few questions from a set of flash cards that the PR firm made? The answers to each question always was “Let’s start a conversation,” or, “Don’t hesitate talking to a friend!”

      I’m hoping for more substance in the future. At least of mental health professionals working hand in hand with the couple and Harry, that could happen. But, I want to see them — especially W and K — more hands on. More involved. More articulate,

      Or, am I dreaming of a White Christmas before the summer even starts? Man, I used to be a nicer person.

      1. Hi Mary Elizabeth

        I felt that conversation around the picnic table was so plastic. It felt like Kate was acting out a role and I was trying to work out if she was reading off cue cards, I think you’ve nailed it and they must have practiced for Kate with flash cards!

        I’m not going to criticize Harry as I feel he really opened up in that interview with Bryony Gordon was honest and authentic. In some ways I wish it had played at a completely different time to the “Heads Together” stuff as it seems on a different level to the picnic table chat. Even William tried, in his clumsy way, to be relateable.

        But Kate was plastic imo and seemed insincere. That stuff about “mixed emotions”? To my ears it sounded like someone repeating a buzz word but not expressing what she really feels.

        There was anything that really bothered me and shows (IMO) Kate is not really paying attention to the message is when she told Bella Rodway the following at the “meet and greet in the carpark at KP”:

        “The Duchess, 35, also had an inspirational message for eight-year-old Bella Rodway, telling her to deliver the Heads Together message to her pals. She told Bella: ‘Do you talk about your feelings to anyone? You need to lead the way with your friends. Even if you are not feeling good or worried about stuff.’”

        That’s putting a lot of pressure on an 8 year old, telling her to lead the way. And as Harry said you need to have found the right person to talk to so it annoys me that Kate was telling Bella this. I am hoping that Kate’s poor advice doesn’t stress this kid out?

        Sorry for the rant, I do have one last comment which is about that red Armani suit. The jacket is obviously a size too small as it was pulling under the arms and the skirt is definitely one size too small as it was designed to be worn looser (the jacket would have looked lovely worn the right size, with something underneath, even a camisole top) Plus after seeing the way the fabric “stuck” to Kate’s pantihose I’m sure that Kate has removed the lining. The suit would have looked much better if she had bought the correct size.

        1. Hi, Cathy,

          I agree with you and think you nailed it. Kate was so rehearsed and clumsy in the video. You can rehearse, yes, but when it comes to speaking, you need to sound sincere and spontaneous. Actors can easily do that, but with training, she could, as well. And, Harry does deserve more applause for his efforts. he does sound sincere. W is trying, too., but often comes across so smug and above it all.

          Oh, those flash cards! My fave auntie was a school teacher and used to bring her classroom flash cards when she visited. My sister and I couldn’t wait to play with them and her! Kate must still love them, too!

          Your expert take on the suit deserves a major thumbs up! Oh, she needs help when it comes to what she wears and how she wears it.

          You know I ebb and flow with my feelings about Kate. Sometimes, I can be so critical and other times, I feel far more charitable toward her. I think the major push right before the marathon would have interested me more if I felt she was prepared and truly earnest in her work. I don’t think Kate will ever get over the fact that work means more than showing up. Even if she practices with those flash cards at home, that is!

          Stay well.

    2. I think that a big part of the problem is that “starting a conversation” came from a mom who was going through a difficult, stressful time, not someone who was actually going through a mental health crisis. So she thinks that just having a conversation to get your feelings out is mental health work. The two have probably come totally conflated in her mind.

  9. I wonder what their next catch phrase will be. If more people are reaching out for help, that is a plus, but I am interested in hearing what the trio will be up to next. And, will their major amount of “work” surrounding another event, a la the London Marathon? Will we then be inundated with messages from each of them, opening up about mental health issues that they did or did not face? Will they sit down more than once with professionals and really learn the ins and outs of different aspects of mental health? I’d love to see the input of professionals now.

    For many people suffering depression, it’s hard to find a good match with a doctor who will work with the individual and not just push pills. Not everyone can tollerate meds and often it takes a while to find the right match in medication. Also, there are so many different types of medical concerns,.so that needs to be explained, too.

    Will people be privy to seeing just what monies go where and how the funds are being used?

    Just because people have made calls for help, does not necessarily mean everyone will follow through. This is not a cause that should be hyped and then dropped. I assume W, H, and K are proud of their efforts. The glow surrounding all the attention was good for their egos. Still, the work should continue and I am talking “work” here. I’d like to see them really become aware of things and not continue to use talking points. Also, please take classes in public speaking. Learn to articulate well. Stop the um’s, likes, you know words. Cathy and her Mum will appreciate that! Cathy, your mum is a woman I would like to meet. You, as well.

    Wishing success and hoping for the best, but thinking it could be just the same old type of approach.

    1. I think their next catchphrase will be “Listen up!” They’ve already encouraged people to talk, now they need to encourage the other half to listen.

      1. How about they say… if you are in crisis then you need to talk to a professional?

        Not all problems can be solved with a chat and sometimes it takes more help than a friend can provide sadly?

  10. The new answer to where does my money goes is so general and opaque that I don’t even know what I just read. Original answer short and to the point. New answer paragraph long and ??? So are they hiring staff for HT or the charities under the umbrella?? Gahhh
    I think it’s time they move on from this campaign, at least William and Kate. Their general banalities and catch phrases have frustrated me from the beginning so I can’t imagine what more they can say unless they actually take it seriously now.
    And who are these people praising their work so much that they want to continue it? Interesting that it’s this that makes them want to continue, not the fact that they love/enjoy/inspired by the work they’ve done.

    1. +1

      Ha! Again, they are self serving in their self praise. They spin what their sycophants tell them to justify their lazy attempt to address mental health issues. I doubt we’ll hear from them again on this topic.

    2. The next level means stepping up with some serious investment in gaining knowledge. Are they up for it? No way. Their performances this past week after a full year of championing mental health were abysmal: uninformed, rife with boiling pots and their lids, their one slogan, plus a dig at their father thrown in for malice. I’m sure they believe their own PR because the awful truth is out of the question.

  11. Jen, I read the DM speculative article about their omission of Charles while talking about their childhood. Can W&H be that openly cruel towards him? W&KM–I can see their cruelty, but H? Not sure what that’s about.

    1. I don’t know either, because you can see how close and warm Charles and Harry are in body language. Look at the pride in Charles’s face whenever he’s accompanied Harry on anything. The warmth in how they embrace, talk, laugh together. Charles has spoken of how proud he is of Harry and he sounds like he’s about to burst with it. I don’t think any of that is faked.

      I would imagine the airbushing of Charles out of their lives and Diana the Saint narrative is more William than Harry, who seems to love, respect and appreciate his father, while William only loves himself.

    2. I always thought Charles and Harry had a pretty good relationship, at least better than William. Charles went to the garden exhibit when it was for Harry’s charity and they looked happy together.
      So revisionist history going on to toe the line with William, help promote the Diana story going on this yr or his therapy has brought up some buried angst? All three?
      I still feel bad for Charles. When people are always trying to argue with me about my stance on kids the biggest one is: who will take care of you when you’re old!! Ha having kids doesn’t guarantee that and that’s a pretty selfish reason IMO. I doubt William would have anything to do with Charles if he didn’t have to.

  12. Isn’t this the concern that someone raised about the HT charity night a month or so ago? The KP staffers were actively moving funders away from direct connections with individual charities that night, and directing them towards only giving money to the Royal Foundation. I remember commenting on their comment, but they had seen things online from people who were there that night complaining about how the Royal Foundation was poaching funders.

    Now we get the nebulous non-answer that the money will be used for something, but it isn’t going to be sent directly to the individuals charities helping people one-on-one as was promised a year ago.

    Unless the majority of that money gets disbursed out within the year to the pre-selected charities, I’m looking at this whole thing as something of a scam. It makes it look like the royals raised that money, when it was other charities doing the hard work but the Royal Foundation snagging the donors and taking the credit.

    Similar to how Charles took 250,000 (possibly illegally) from the Prince’s Trust to shore up the poor donations for W&K’s wedding to get them over the 1 million mark. If someone donates money for a specific purpose or charity, it is illegal to take the money and use it for something else. Even if it ends up being related to charity, unless the funders money goes directly to the charity of their choice, things are looking bad legally.

  13. KMR – Can you explain the $10 million number being thrown around? Is it because Heads Together was the Charity of the Year for the Virgin Money London Marathon? Thus they received the profits of the marathon? Are you able to see who was the Charity of the Year in 2016 and see how much they got? I’m just questioning where that $10 million comes from — is it all from individuals raising money for running – or is it corporate donations?

    1. That 10 million number came from the Express article. I do know how they got that number. We’ll see how much HT raised, and how much they spent, once the financial reports are released.

  14. I had a feeling HT was just about raising money for the London Marathon about the time they did this press con thing where they were supposed to talk about more about what HT was all about but instead we got the same talking points. I think that happened earlier this year. I always thought the real test for HT was after marathon so we’ll see how this goes. If there’s a noticeable drop in their work with mental health over the subsequent months then we’ll know they were never in it for the long run but only for the duration of HT.

  15. Hahahahahahah! No wonder the whole Heads Together campaign sounded unclear and half-baked with the same, “let’s start a conversation” being repeated over and over. All this recent spate of “hard work” was suppose to have an end date! Whatever are Will & Kate (and to some extent Harry) going to do now, that this whole mental health thing is going to become a long-term commitment due to public demand for mental health support services? Poor things, they have created a Frankenstein-like monster here…they now are being expected to actually work more for this cause!

    1. These guys are really something else, play with something and then think ‘we done good’ and think that people will just fawn over their efforts. Sounds almost like Bill and his I’ll do this until I’m bored nature, and of course Kate thinks whatever Bill does or so it seems. I find it disgusting that they ‘use’ the vulnerable sectors of society for their own purposes and then basically move on to the next ‘great cause’. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. What makes me nervous is that if they are forced into doing something that they really don’t want to do it won’t be long before the people in need become aware, mentally ill people are not stupid and in fact some are more in tune with ‘vibs’ than others are. I speak from experience, and I hate being patronized. I would respect their saying, that we have come to the conclusion that we are better suited to other ‘work’ and let the people who really care do their jobs. Cameras, headbands, all the new outfits seem to me at this point more of a distraction from the reality.

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