Prince Harry opened up about mental health in a candid speech during his visit to Nigeria today.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have travelled to the African country on a private tour to promote the Invictus Games.
The pair were greeted by locals on the first day of their quick trip after landing just before 5am.
Let the Royal Tour Begin #PrinceHarry and #Meghan The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have begun their exciting tour of #Nigeria 🇳🇬 to champion the #InvictusGames
Prince Harry and Meghan visited children at the Lights Academy in Abuja, Nigeria 🇳🇬💚🤍💚💫#HarryandMeghaninNigeria pic.twitter.com/fnmJ1xAJx8
— sunrayleo – HouseOfSussex (@sunrayleo1) May 10, 2024
Harry told crowds of schoolchildren there’s “no shame” in feeling off in a sweet speech.
The Duke said: “There is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day, OK?”
“That you woke up this morning feeling sad; that you were at school, feeling stressed; that you’ve lost a loved one in your family and you don’t know who to turn to or who to speak to.”
“All of these things you may even be led to believe are not for conversation.”
The Prince continued: “Every single one of those things is completely normal, it is a human reaction, whether it’s grief, stress, whatever the feeling is.”
“It comes from an experience that you have had – you can have it, she (Meghan) can have it, I can have it. They can have it. Every single one of us is likely to have it on any given day.”
“So if you take anything away from today, just know that mental health affects every single person.”
“And the more you talk about it, the more you can kick stigma away, fall far away into long grass, and then everybody will have the opportunity to be able to share how they’re feeling, how they’re coping, and then you can help other people,” he said.
Harry added: “So will you promise to us that after today, no more being scared, no more being unsure of mental health. If you are unsure, then ask. Ask your teachers. Ask your friends. Be there for one another.”
“If you see your friend in your class not smiling, what are you gonna do? You gonna check in with them? Are you gonna ask him if they’re okay? ’cause it’s okay not to be okay.”
The Prince made a short visit to the UK this week to mark the 10th anniversary of the Games, which he founded – however, it was reported that Meghan would not be joining him.
It was reported the Duchess of Sussex wished to stay in the US to prepare for their tour of Nigeria.
However, she landed in Heathrow airport on Thursday following a solo flight from LA, and the two reunited in the VIP Windsor Suite before boarding a flight to Abuja.
This follows the two snubs Harry received from his father King Charles upon his arrival in the UK for his brief visit.
Just hours after landing on Tuesday, Harry learned that the King not only turned down seeing him during his visit but would honour Prince William instead during an engagement.
On Tuesday night, Buckingham Palace announced that the King would pass on the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, which he held for 31 years, to William.
The Duke of Sussex was expected to receive this honour and take charge of the regiment he toured Afghanistan with until 2014.
Despite this, Harry extended an olive branch to his family during his return.
The Duke of Sussex invited his father, King Charles, his brother, Prince William and his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, to the Service of Thanksgiving commemorating a decade of the Invictus Games at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8th.
However, none of them were in attendance at the special event.
