Prince Harry says most people ‘carry some form of unresolved trauma’ as he launches mental health series

Prince Harry has said most people “carry some form of unresolved trauma, loss or grief” as he launches his new Apple TV mental health series with Oprah Winfrey.

The Duke of Sussex is expected to open up about his own mental health struggles during the series, which is called The Me You Can’t See.

Premiering on May 21, the series will feature interviews with celebrities including Glenn Close and Lady Gaga that “help lift the veil” on mental health and emotional wellbeing.

The Duke said: “We are born into different lives, brought up in different environments, and as a result are exposed to different experiences. But our shared experience is that we are all human.

“The majority of us carry some form of unresolved trauma, loss, or grief, which feels - and is - very personal.

“Yet the last year has shown us that we are all in this together, and my hope is that this series will show there is power in vulnerability, connection in empathy, and strength in honesty.”

Ms Winfrey and the Duke will "guide honest discussions” while opening up about their mental health journeys and struggles, according to Monday’s announcement.

Apple said the series “transcends culture, age, gender, and socioeconomic status to destigmatise a highly misunderstood subject and give hope to viewers who learn that they are not alone.”

Other participants in the show include Zak Williams, the son of late actor Robin Williams, US Olympic Boxer Virginia “Ginny” Fuchs, American basketball players DeMar DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs and Langston Galloway from the Phoenix Suns and California-based chef Rashad Armstead.

Ms Winfrey, who interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in March, said: “Now more than ever, there is an immediate need to replace the shame surrounding mental health with wisdom, compassion, and honesty.”

The series was announced in 2019 before the couple stepped back as working royals and moved to the US.

It had been due to be broadcast in 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic.

The Duke has previously spoken about his mental health struggles over the years and has made mental health one of the key focuses of his work.

In 2017, he shared that he had not sought counselling for more than twenty years after losing his mother, Princess Diana.

He said he eventually decided to seek help after experiencing two years of “total chaos” while still struggling in his late twenties to come to terms with his loss.

In March, he wrote the foreword for a children’s book for young people who lost loved ones where he drew on his own experiences of grief.

Most recently, the Duke became the chief impact officer of a San Francisco-based mental health start-up, BetterUp.

BetterUp was founded in 2013 and provides mobile-based professional coaching, counselling and mentorship.

Its website says it has a network of more than 2,000 coaches offering coaching in 49 languages across 66 countries, along with “interactive professional development content, analytics and real-time insights to track employee progress”.

Read More

Harry to speak openly about mental health struggles in documentary series

Harry and Meghan in vaccine donations appeal to mark Archie’s birthday

Meghan and Harry’s moving request on Archie’s second birthday