Prince William has fought back tears as he was reunited with a woman who lost her husband to suicide after the death of her young son.
William became visibly emotional while talking to Rhian Mannings during a short film released to mark World Mental Health Day and to launch a £1m project aimed at preventing suicide.
It was always going to be a difficult conversation because of Rhian’s heartbreaking experiences, but both wanted to record the video to highlight the taboo that still exists around suicide.
In 2012, Rhian’s one-year-old son George died suddenly from a hidden illness. Just five days later, her husband Paul died by suicide.
In a deeply moving discussion, William asks Rhian what she would say to Paul now if she could, with her replying: “There’s only one thing I would ever say to him if I had time with him, and that would be, ‘Why didn’t you speak to me?’ I think… I ask myself that every single day.
“He was absolutely devastated, he did keep blaming himself that weekend.
“But I would just like to sit him down like this and just say, ‘Why didn’t you come to me?’ Because he’s missed out on just so much joy, and we would have been okay. And I think that’s what the hardest thing is, we would have been okay.”
But she then stops and says to William, “Are you okay?” as you see him on camera looking visibly upset, and he simply replies: “I’m sorry. It’s just, it’s hard to ask these questions.”
Filmed in Rhian’s home in Cardiff, they also talk about the harmful taboo that still exists around suicide.
William says: “Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of stigma around suicide. Did you feel that at the time?”
Responding, Rhian says: “I was quite surprised by it, I’d never been touched by suicide, it was something that happened in the news. Nobody would talk about it or actually say what happened. And I found that really confusing at the time”.
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The film marks the launch of the Royal Foundation’s Suicide Prevention Network, backed by more than 20 organisations and funding of over £1 million from the Foundation. It aims to transform suicide prevention across the UK.
Rhian’s charity, 2Wish, forms part of the new network. She set up the charity to make sure others who lost a child suddenly would receive the bereavement support they need and deserve.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
