Prince William holds back tears while speaking about suicide’s impact
Prince William struggled to hold back tears as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide in a heartfelt short film released by his office on Friday to mark World Mental Health Day.
In the video, the Prince of Wales meets Rhian Mannings at her home in Cardiff. Mannings’ husband, Paul, took his own life just five days after the sudden death of their young son, George, in 2012. Together, they spoke about the urgent need for better emotional support for families affected by suicide and unexpected bereavement, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
When Mannings reflected on what she would have said to her husband, she said softly, “I would just like to sit him down like this and say, ‘Why didn’t you come to me?’ Because he’s missed out on so much joy, and we would have been OK. That’s the hardest thing — we would have been OK.”
The prince, visibly emotional, paused and tried to hold back tears. Mannings asked, “Are you OK?” to which William replied, “I’m sorry. It’s just hard to ask these questions… It’s hard.”
Mannings comforted him, saying, “No, it’s fine. You’ve got children… and you’ve experienced loss yourself.”
William, who attended the funeral of Thomas Kingston last year — the son-in-law of Prince Michael of Kent, who died by suicide — has been vocal about raising awareness of mental health issues.
The film coincided with the launch of the National Suicide Prevention Network, established by the Royal Foundation, the charitable organization run by Prince William and Princess Kate. The initiative aims to deepen understanding of the causes of suicide and ensure that those in need can access timely and compassionate support.
According to the prince’s office, more than 7,000 people die by suicide each year in Britain, underscoring the importance of early intervention and open conversations about mental health.
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