Harry to speak openly about mental health struggles in documentary series

The Duke of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey are co-creators and executive producers of the documentary series The Me You Can’t See.
The Duke of Sussex ahead of the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle, Berkshire (Chris Jackson/PA)
PA Wire
Tony Jones10 May 2021

The Duke of Sussex will open up about his “mental health journeys and struggles” in his long-awaited documentary series about the issue with Oprah Winfrey

Harry suffered the trauma of losing his mother aged just 12 and has spoken about spending nearly two decades “not thinking” about her death before eventually getting help after a period of “total chaos”.

In a statement to mark the launch of the series, The Me You Can’t See, 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.”

Harry and Ms Winfrey are co-creators and executive producers of the project for Apple which a few years ago launched into the TV streaming market to take on Netflix and Amazon, and will premiere on May 21 on Apple TV+.

Apple has said the series will see the duke and the chatshow queen “guide honest discussions about mental health and emotional well-being while opening up about their mental health journeys and struggles”.

Pop superstar Lady Gaga and actress Glenn Close will be featured in the documentaries with Gaga having already appeared in a video with Harry’s brother the Duke of Cambridge talking about combating the stigma around mental health.

The documentary series will focus on mental illness and mental wellness and aims to inspire viewers to have an honest conversation about the challenges people face and how to equip themselves with the tools to thrive.

Harry and Meghan
PA Media

Ms Winfrey said: “Now more than ever, there is an immediate need to replace the shame surrounding mental health with wisdom, compassion and honesty.

“Our series aims to spark that global conversation.”

Harry and Meghan made a series of allegations about the royal family when they were interviewed by Ms Winfrey earlier his year.

The couple accused an unnamed royal, not the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh, of raising concerns about how dark their son Archie’s skin tone would be, before he was born.

Meghan also revealed she asked for help when she was suicidal, but said the monarchy gave her no support.

During the 20th anniversary year of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the duke spoke about the emotional turmoil he faced after she was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.

He admitted shutting down his emotions after losing her which had “a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well”, and that he eventually sought help after his brother told him he needed to deal with his feelings.

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