Prince William is urging the British people to rethink if it's still relevant to uphold the stereotype of having a stiff upper lip in today's world. During a talk for the new mental health documentary, Football, Prince William and our Mental Health, the Duke of Cambridge expressed that he believes this stereotype is doing more harm than good to a person's emotional wellbeing.
According to reports, Prince William apparently said that having a stiff upper lip makes it harder for people to deal with their emotional struggles. The Duke of Cambridge said that it would be much more damaging if people won't be able to communicate their feelings and keep their emotions bottled up.
This isn't the first time Prince William said that the British stiff upper lift stereotype is harmful. In 2017, during another mental health campaign, the Duke of Cambridge also talked about this widely believed British attitude.
He said that there is always a right time to maintain a stiff upper lip but it should not lead to emotional struggles. Prince William also said that he is teaching his children to express their feelings and be comfortable about sharing their emotions.
It comes as Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry, opened up about the. legendary British stiff upper lift in a documentary in 2019. Meghan said that she tried to keep quiet and to uphold the "British sensibility of a stiff upper lip" when she was being attacked in the press but it only hurt her emotionally.
Meanwhile, Prince William and Kate Middleton have recently launched a mental health campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week, which is currently being commemorated in the U.K. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took part in a radio broadcast encouraging people to reach out to someone who might need to talk because they are struggling amid this coronavirus pandemic.
In the minute-long radio advertisement, Prince William is heard telling the listeners that everyone is connected in today's digital world. Thus, it should be easier to reach out to someone in need.
Kate is also heard saying in the PSA that it's important to talk to someone if they are feeling negative emotions. If they also have friends and family members who are acting differently, it would make a difference if they are asked if they're OK.
The new mental health campaign falls under the Heads Together advocacy of Prince William and Kate. The couple have been pushing to destigmatize mental health struggles for years.
