Prince Harry says he ‘regrets not speaking about Princess Diana’s death’
Princess Diana’s youngest son spoke of his grief during a event aimed at tackling mental health issues.
Prince Harry made the comments as he talked to footballer Rio Ferdinand, saying: “You know, I really regret not ever talking about it.”
The prince was joined by Ferdinand – whose wife died last year – at an event for the mental health charity, Heads Together, which was attended by a number of sports stars, including Dame Kelly Holmes.
“It is OK to suffer, but as long as you talk about it. It is not a weakness,” he later told BBC Breakfast.
“Weakness is having a problem and not recognising it and not solving that problem.”
He told the BBC that the event showed that anybody can suffer from mental health problems – including members of the Royal Family.
“A lot of people think if you’ve got a job, if you’ve got financial security, if you’ve got a family, you’ve got a house, all that sort of stuff, everyone seems to think that is all you need and you are absolutely fine to deal with stuff,” he said.
Prince Harry formed Heads Together with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to bring together leading mental health charities.
As well as mental health, Prince Harry has also recently focused his work around HIV – even taking a HIV test himself in a Facebook Live video earlier this month.
The fifth-in-line to the throne has visited a number of HIV clinics in recent months, and has spoken about his late mother’s work on the issue.
He said: “She started very punchy [on AIDS]. She smashed the stigma around HIV on more than one occasion. It had a huge impact, and a huge impact on my life as well.”
Attending the International AIDS Conference in Durban last week, he signed the UN AIDS ProTEST wall alongside Sir Elton John, before the pair appeared together at a panel.
The Prince wrote on the wall: “Get tested! Why wouldn’t you? Harry”.
In his speech to the conference, the Prince celebrated that HIV is no longer a “death sentence” as it was when his mother famously championed the cause.
