Harry, Meghan, William and Kate's Mental Health Campaign Draws Royal Criticism

The royal family is getting involved in raising awareness for mental health issues and while there are plenty of supporters, there are still plenty more who are not backing the new initiative. After Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle became the faces for the governments new campaign "Every Mind Matters," the movement isn't as well received as they had hoped.

In a the three minute video that introduces the campaign, both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex narrate the message.

"Everyone knows that feeling when life gets on top of us," Prince William says. "We feel stressed, low, anxious, or have trouble sleeping."

Prince Harry then followed, saying, "We think there is nothing to be done, nothing we can do about it."

Markle then says," There's a new way to help turn things around," while Middleton echoed saying, "It'll 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."

Public Health England, in partnership with the NHS, have launched #EveryMindMatters to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others. pic.twitter.com/eAirA6pIpB

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 7, 2019

"Every Mind Matters" is an NHS and Public Health England initiative found on a website that is designed to help patients out. There is a survey that anyone can take that will quickly examine their mental health, then they will receive advice specifically designed for each person on how to cope with their struggle.

Despite the initiative, there are plenty of UK residents who don't think this will make any difference due to long waiting lists.

"Its great that [Every Mind Matters] has launched BUT for those of us stuck in a failing NHS system that keeps people with chronic mental illness on long and pointless waiting lists for therapy that doesn't happen- I don't see how this can help if you've been in the system for years," one person tweeted.

Imagine running an ad campaign for checking your breasts and then more people go to their GP having found a lump and be told 'Sorry, come back when it's got bigger/worse/you're actually dying.' Because that's kind of what mental health ad campaigns are doing.

— ilona burton (@ilonacatherine) October 7, 2019

Keri Howe, Labour supporter and activist responded by calling the campaign "deeply offensive to every single one of the thousands of distressed patients who have been left; without the safety of a hospital bed, on never ending waiting lists and in peril unsupported because of their deliberate underfunding of mental health services."

While there are several people who are criticising "Every Mind Matters," there are some who are in support and believe the royals are moving in the right direction.