The Cambridges & Sussexes Join Forces for Every Mind Matters

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on Thursday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have joined forces to narrate a landmark three-minute film, Every Mind Matters, which was broadcast across several leading UK networks at 8.45 pm tonight. The campaign features a host of well-known faces including Glenn Close, Davina McCall, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Katie Piper, Nadiya Hussain, Gillian Anderson, Professor Green and Will Young. It was shown to an estimated 10.3 million viewers in what has been described as "a first for broadcasters".

William begins by saying: "Everyone knows that feeling, when life gets on top of us. All over the country, millions of us face challenges to our mental health, at all ages, at all intensities, and for all sorts of reasons. We feel stressed, low, anxious or have trouble sleeping. Me. You.

Harry continues: "Your brother. Your mother. Your colleague or your neighbour. Waiting, wondering, hoping, hurting. We think there is nothing to be done, nothing we can do about it."

Meghan adds: "But that is so wrong. There are things we can do. From today, there's a new way to help turn things around. Every Mind Matters will show you simple ways to look after your mental health."

Kate said: "It will get you started with a free online plan, designed to help you deal with stress, boost your mood, improve your sleep, and feel more in control."

Towards the end, Kate says "We can all benefit from taking simple steps to look after ourselves". Followed by Meghan "And help those around us".

People reports:

“When they heard about it, all four of them were really keen to take part,” says a royal source. “It is a really positive project, and all four of them have been involved and they hope it will have a huge impact.”

The mini-film was written by Four Weddings and a Funeral director Richard Curtis. A longtime mental health advocate, Curtis recorded the audio with each royal individually (you might recall the Court Circular recorded William and Kate's meetings with him on separate days last month). He also travelled to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor to record Harry and Meghan.

More from the Telegraph:

'The project, called Every Mind Matters, has been coordinated by Public Health England in partnership with the NHS and is endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners. Its website is intended to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, including a five-stage quiz which then automatically generates a "personalised mind plan" including tips such as muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, taking exercise and keeping an anxiety diary.'

The National Health Service is backed by a number of mental health charities and campaigns including Heads Together. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I want to put on record my admiration for the way the princes and the duchesses have contributed to changing how society in the UK, and around the world, think about mental health and their own bravery in speaking out about it. This is one of the most clear examples of them taking that lead and supporting us in a very important project."

The Times reports:

'Their answers will generate a personalised “mind plan” — five tips that PHE says are grounded in scientific evidence about improving mental wellbeing. Examples include getting off the bus a stop early to get more exercise and so make it easier to sleep, making time to chat to a friend to combat loneliness and setting aside time to deal specifically with worries.

The site is not for severe problems but contains a “panic button” that provides contact details for the Samaritans and other support organisations.

Videos on muscle relaxation and positive thinking also feature along with links to free online courses about overcoming stress and suggestions for where to get support for money, relationship and other worries. Launching the campaign, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said: “Our health — both physical and mental — is an asset that needs to be nurtured. Every Mind Matters will benefit us all with an accessible tool to help manage our wellbeing at the click of a button.”

Visit the Every Mind Matters website here to take the quiz. I think often times so many can relate to putting themselves at the bottom of their list of priorities, ignoring stress, anxiety or worries even though they are affecting your mental health. The quiz is a means of checking your own mental health, assessing how you are, and offering options to help.

It's wonderful to see the royals narrating this and continuing their mental health efforts. The video was beautifully done, it was excellent to see an array of famous faces giving their time to support the initiative.