The Prince of Wales joked that he felt underdressed without sequins or glitter as he marked the end of Pride Month by discussing mental health in an LGBT+ venue.
William spoke of the importance of “mental fitness” in a short YouTube film in the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in south-east London.
The film sees the heir to the throne in conversation with volunteers from The Mix and Shout discussing mental health and support in the LGBT+ community.
The Mix and Shout are both charity partners of the Heads Together campaign which was founded by The Royal Foundation.
Both charities offer free confidential support for young people who are struggling and feel alone.
William chats to 20-year-old Michael Lister, chair of The Mix youth advisory board, Sharvari Patil, a 20-year-old student and volunteer at The Mix, and Alexis Caught, a Shout volunteer who is also an author and podcast host specialising in mental health and wellness in the queer community.
Speaking near the beginning of the film, William joked: “I feel very underdressed today in the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. I should have come with some sequins or some glitter. Maybe next time I’ll bring it.”
The prince talks to the trio about their own mental health journeys in the LGBT+ community.
They discuss the importance of ensuring people look after their “mental fitness” and why checking in on others and supporting those in your community is vital.
William commented on the importance of having an open conversation and how emotions can prove more difficult for men.
“I think guys particularly find emotions quite difficult, don’t quite know how to deal with them – strong emotions, no emotions, whatever it might be, they kind of find it quite hard.
“And I think that’s why we’ve got to get better at having an open conversation about these things,” he said.
William thanked Michael, Sharvari and Alexis for their insights and told them it will mean “an awful lot to everyone” to hear from them.
