Prince William’s moving exchange with grieving widow part of Royal Foundation’s latest campaign

As the international Mental Health Day was observed on October 10, Prince William joined the movement by launching a new initiative.

The Royal Foundation, partly led by the Prince of Wales, introduced National Suicide Prevention Network — the initiation for which was marked by campaign footage which featured William’s visit to Rhian Mannings, founder of the 2Wish charity.

In 2012, the sudden loss of Rhian’s one-year-old son’s to an inexplicable illness, followed by her husband’s suicide five days later shook the Cardiff resident to her core.

William sat down with the bereaved mother and widow for an intimate chat on the subject right in her living space.

“I look back and I still don’t know how we survived it,” she told her royal guest.

The founder further shared that if she could console her husband, Paul, before he ended his own life, she would’ve said, “‘Why didn’t you come to me?’ Because he’s missed out on just so much joy. And we would have been ok. I think that’s the hardest thing, we would have been ok.”

Visibly moved by the words, the heir apparent began choking up and reassured his host after she confirmed his well-being, “I’m sorry, it’s hard to ask you the questions.”

Regarding the new campaign, BBC reported that Rhian’s “charity will be one of 20 organisations that will form part of a new National Suicide Prevention Network, being launched with £1m over three years, from the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.”

Meanwhile, the nearly eight minute long footage featuring Prince William’s emotional and purposeful conversation with Rhian Mannings has been released via the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official YouTube channel.

“The Royal Foundation is uniting charities across the four home nations to transform suicide prevention in the UK through a new National Suicide Prevention Network,” the video’s description revealed.