Talking frankly on the bench, Wills and Southgate
PRINCE William has encouraged men to not see opening up emotionally as a ‘weakness’ when discussing mental health with England’s football manager.
Sitting on benches at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, they discussed how they had both overcome challenges that had an impact on their mental wellbeing.
The Duke of Cambridge said he was seeing a cultural shift in men being able to talk about their feelings. His meeting with the former England footballer – who said he struggled after missing a penalty at Euro 1996 – was part of the Heads Up campaign. It involves a six-part #SoundofSupport series led by the duke in which sports stars discuss mental health.
The prince said: ‘Being able to talk about it is not a weakness. The idea of being able to be open about your emotions and fix a problem is a positive, it’s a strength, not a weakness.’
He is today hosting an outdoor screening of the FA Cup final at Sandringham attended by a group of frontline workers and local fans.
Southgate, 49, missed a suddendeath penalty in the Euro 1996 semifinal against Germany – who went on to win the tournament
He told the prince: ‘There are various issues with people’s mental health that can affect how they feel and it’s making sure that we don’t feel that there’s a stigma for people, that it’s acceptable to look for help.’
Talking about his experience 24 years ago, he said: ‘You walk away from the stadium feeling that ultimately you are the person who is responsible for that finishing.
‘To a small degree that still lives with me – to have failed under pressure, under that huge spotlight, is hard professionally to take.’