Prince Harry speaks out.

A source from the palace is best ignored. Newspapers can say what they want, claim it was a source but if questioned would give the usual - we never disclose our sources . Wouldn't be surprised if queenie hasn't told them their Holiday is over , time to start doing some work.

Do we believe anything printed in the Sun?
I'm prepared to accept the Queen has suggested younger members of the family pick up more work, especially as Prince Philip is stepping back. I struggle to accept the wording reported from a "source" from the palace.

And now this bit.

www.foxnews.com/world/2017/05/07/prince-harry-prince-william-reportedly-told-to-do-less-soul-baring-by-queen.html

I agree with Norose & Daphne. Anyone supporting improvements to mental health care should be applauded.

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I agree with you totally norose4. I've been quite appalled by some posts on this thread. I really am no fan of the royal family, but Harry is a human being. He has chosen to speak out and if doing so contributes to a better understanding of and more action on mental illness by virtue of his status, he should be applauded.

Brilliantly put AZIE09, totally agree with you, quite frankly I am shocked & saddened by the total lack of compassion shown by some posters,towards anyone famous or rich . If by speaking out publicly they can bring comfort to one single person who may be suffering they should be applauded, not slated because of their so called 'privaleaged lives.?

Penstemon's post at 17.37, short, to the point and in my view, spot on.

Do you know what? I don't really care one way or the other about the royal family or their emotional/mental health! I do not know them so can only glean from what I see published in the media.
I do care that mental health services are not easily accessible/under funded etc. That mental illness is still to many, a hush hush subject and considered a sort of character weakness.
I am pleased when any public figure, for whatever motive, helps to change negative attitudes.
We all carry some emotional behaviour that will be shaped by our upbringing but two people can have similar experiences and react very differently.

Hate? Where did thst come from?

I find it truly amazing how many people are willing to argue about the emotional lives of others with no real knowledge of those lives but instead have their own axe to grind often based on the 'it did me no harm' mantra which actually is an avoidance tactic intended to persuade one to look no further at one's own life and family.

Ours is a pretty shoddy society on the mental health front with high rates of personal unhappiness, the unhappiest children in Europe and poor social support and community cohesion. I think that suggests quite a lot of emotional damage in the past and the present. Shooting down in flames those who have some power to lead a public campaign is another symptom and a peculiar British response to anything emotional, so much negativity instead of seeing the positive aspects.

Just because YOU think you're ok or weren't harmed by parents or other adults when you were a child doesn't mean others weren't. Just because you got through with stiff upper lip doesn't mean others have the same capability, just because you hate Princess Diana or Harry or Philip or other Royals and think they don't​ have a role in changing things doesn't mean others should be denied what might be a lifeline.

Have a read of this and consider possible outcomes of childhood emotional damage:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/29/how-bad-parenting-can-knock-20-years-off-your-life?

So is Queenie emotionally damaged Pen?

Philip was no more distant from his own children than many fathers of his generation. Yes, he was abroad for long absences but then so was mine and many others in the armed services.

I think it's a flippin' cheek to suggest he didn't know how to function as a father.

Emotional damage? Utter tosh!

I think the evidence of his 'distance' from his own children may suggest that he was not sure how to function as a father. That could be a kind of emotional damage.

No Merlotgran, no evidence, but we only have Harrys word thst he needed to talk , no evidence

I haven't read all of this thread but is there any documented evidence that Prince Philip has been emotionally and mentally damaged?

Iam64 I do agree that both Philip and Diana appear to have had childhoods that left them emotionally / mentally damaged. It should never be a competition to see who is worse!

I would be pleased if any adult, in a privileged /public position, put their names to organisations trying to improve situations for those suffering illness (physical or mental, emotional crises etc etc.

p.s. I also agree re taxation and public services!

She spoke of her problems over twenty years ago, what really has changed?

Penstemmon - as well as agreeing with your desire that our royal family was more like their euro counterparts, I would prefer if our general approach was more like that in other northern european countries. Less public drunkenness, higher taxes = better public services.
You are also correct in saying that if a 'high profile' person has personal experiences of a situation, it can help make the profile of the charity or organisation set up to help others in this situation. I've already commented though, that Philip is from a generation who were encouraged to box off difficult feelings and get on with it. I seem to recall reading he wrote supportive letters to Diana during that difficult time. I struggle to see how its possible to empathise with Philip but criticise Diana. Diana had a turbulent, emotionally neglectful childhood. There is no need to rehash the problems in her marriage, or her own emotional difficulties but I find it difficult to say we need to support mental health work yet criticise a woman who sought out and it seems benefitted from psychotherapy and medication. She was also open about that, isn't that what many of us hope that 'high profile' people will do.

As he was in WW2 he has supported many charities connect to this, obviously most are dead now but given his age only to be expected .

for me people personal lives are just that, personal, do you expect Ann's children to leap forward to support any charity connected to broken homes ? I don't.

I was only commenting because, if a 'high profile' person has a personal experience of a situation, it often adds kudos to any organisation tying to help others in a similar situation.

I have no strong feelings about the royal family as individuals..I neither like nor dislike them.
As a republican I would prefer the royal family were more like the Euro royals and less feted and revered!

And it would have been good if Phillip had put his name to all children's charities, all animal charity, all health related charities why not all charities ?

Sorry but your criticism doesn't make sense , does Harry support all charities, he could put his name to them all just as you think,Phillip should

I am fully aware, through personal experience, of the stigma and awful responses that many have suffered and had to deal with on top of their mental illnesses. I am not unsympathetic to those with mental illness. I am simply suggesting that it seems strange to be so critical of the younger royals for putting their names to a campaign to raise awareness about mental illness. I am further saying that it would have been good if Philip could have put his name to a mental health charity as he had such personal experience of it too.

Good post Iam,

The two things which make me angry are

The lack of funding

The refusal to accept any crime or unusual behaviour caused by people with mental illness , they are dismissed with either a cry for revenge for the former or critcism of the latter .

If we are ever going to accept mental illness on the same level as physical illness we have to accept all mental illnesses not cherry pick

I believe it's positive that mental health issues of all kinds are more readily spoken of now. It's a great pity that services are being cut when we all know they need to be increased and also staffed by more well trained and experienced staff.

People of Prince Phillips generation lived through the time when people were encouraged to put their anxieties and traumatic memories into a box, close the lid firmly and get on with it. Some took this advice more to heart than others and no doubt as now, personality played its part. I do believe stoicism isn't always a negative response to life's tough experiences.