By Isabella Torregiani
3:07pm PST, Feb 26, 2026
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While advocating for men's mental health,
Prince William made rare comments about his own struggles, emphasizing the importance of learning to "understand my emotions" — not just for himself, but for men everywhere.
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On Radio 1's "Life Hack,"
Prince William joined host
Greg James, rapper
Professor Green and representatives from a mental health charity to help break down the stigma surrounding men's mental health and suicide.
The prince, a long-time advocate for men's mental health and suicide prevention, said that speaking openly about these issues would help make conversations about mental health "second nature to us all."
"We need more male role models out there talking about it and normalizing it so that it becomes something that is second nature to all of us," William said.
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Reflecting on how he manages his own mental health,
Prince William explained his "toolbox" approach. "Not one person in this world has all the tools for every eventuality or mental state that is going to come across," he said.
"I like to go around looking for new tools to put in my toolbox when I might need it and if we look at it like that, it does normalize the idea that the brain just needs sometimes a little bit of help. But we can't expect to have all the answers ourselves."
He went on to reassure listeners that reaching out for help is completely normal. "It's okay to ask for support, ask a mate, reach out. That becomes just the normalization process of what's going on inside your head."
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Prince William revealed that during his time with the East Anglian Air Ambulance between March 2015 and July 2017, he noticed his "mental health really deteriorating."
"I hadn't really clocked onto it because in that community you try and make light of some of the moments just to keep, frankly, sane and just to keep going."
While based at Cambridge Airport, William worked closely with doctors and paramedics to provide emergency medical services across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
He continued, "It wasn't until I stepped out of it on a longer break that I looked at myself and I thought, 'My god I'm carrying everyone's emotional baggage.' It was really weighing me down."
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Three of the panelists, all fathers, spoke about the importance of teaching their children how to process their emotions.
When asked if his children confide in him,
Prince William quipped, "Sometimes too much. I get all the details. Which I love, it's amazing."
"Being able to understand it, have time for it, decipher it, sometimes you feel the sense that you need to fix it for everyone and that I find quite difficult," he said.
"I have to remind myself that you don't have to fix everything but you do have to listen. And it's important to be ok with those feelings and those comments."
(If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.)
