The Prince of Wales fought back tears during an emotional conversation about suicide with a mother who lost both her baby son and husband within days of each other. William was visibly moved as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide and the urgent need for better support systems.
The prince visited campaigner Rhian Mannings at her home near Cardiff, whose one-year-old son George died after suffering a seizure in 2012. Her husband Paul died by suicide just five days later, leaving Rhian to raise their two surviving children alone.
Heartbreaking conversation
The footage captures a frank discussion between William and Rhian around her kitchen table, where she founded the charity 2wish to support families affected by sudden child death. William asked her directly: "From the families I've spoken to who've had to endure suicide, it's a lot of unanswered questions that live with you forever, really, don't they?"
Rhian, 48, responded with painful honesty about the aftermath. "I will forever go over those last few days with him wondering what I missed. Before we lost George, we were just so happy. And I think this just shows that it really can happen to anyone."
When William asked what she would say to Paul if given the chance, her answer left the prince struggling with his emotions. "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?'" she replied.
Prince's emotional moment
Rhian continued speaking about her husband's final days, explaining how devastated Paul had been and how he blamed himself. "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."
As William listened, he looked up and became visibly emotional, bringing his hand to his mouth. When Rhian noticed and asked if he was okay, he reached out to touch her hand and told her: "I'm sorry. I just, it's hard to ask you the questions."
The campaigner reassured him, acknowledging his own experiences with loss. "No it's fine. It's just you've got children. It's hard and you've experienced loss yourself," she said, referring to William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who died when he was 15.
Speaking about suicide
William emphasised the crucial importance of open dialogue about suicide prevention. "The best way to prevent suicide is to talk about it. Talk about it early. Talk about it with your loved ones, those you trust, your friends. So thank you for talking about it," he told Rhian.
The conversation also covered how to discuss suicide with children, with Rhian offering practical advice. "I think it's important never to lie. There's ways in being truthful and just being gentle. As a parent, you know your children better than anybody else," she explained.
Rhian described how she survived the double tragedy while raising Holly, now 17, and Isaac, 16, who plays rugby in the same position as his late father. "I look back and I still don't really know how we survived it," she admitted.
National prevention network
The emotional footage marked the launch of the new National Suicide Prevention Network on World Mental Health Day. The initiative is spearheaded by the Prince and Princess of Wales's Royal Foundation and backed by a £1 million investment from their philanthropic foundation.
Four charities across the UK's four nations have joined as founding partners: James' Place for England, PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland, Mikeysline for Scotland, and the Jac Lewis Foundation for Wales. The Hub of Hope, the UK's largest mental health support directory, also supports the network.
Professor Ann John, an expert in suicide prevention and consultant in public health medicine for Public Health Wales, will chair the initiative. The network aims to transform suicide prevention across the UK over the next three years by identifying root causes and improving support pathways.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
