Prince William and Kate Middleton reveal impressive working from home set-ups as they launch mental health initiative
It has been announced that Prince William and Kate Middleton are supporting a new £5m initiative to help the UK’s mental health during the coronavirus lockdown.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have used their royal platform to highlight new guidance released by Public Health England today which aims to support people in looking after their mind in isolation, as well as providing tips to parents and carers on protecting children’s wellbeing.
In a post on Instagram this morning, the couple told their 11.4m followers about how they have been working with organisations assisting the nation during the pandemic - and also gave fans an insight into their impressive working from home set-ups.
They shared two images of the couple speaking on the telephone at their respective desks at their London home, Kensington Palace.
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Kate, 38, was shown wearing the same blush pink Marks & Spencer suit, costing £158, as she had previously been pictured wearing on a visit to an NHS centre.
She also revealed her eye-catching colour-coordinated book collection - including the Penguin Clothbound Classics titles Sense & Sensibility and The Odyssey, which cost £11 each.
Another picture shows William, 37, in a different room with a slightly clearer desk, featuring an ornate lamp and a printer on top of an office cabinet.
The behind-the-scenes photo were captioned: “Self-isolation and social distancing can pose huge challenges to our mental health — in recent weeks the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been in regular contact with organisations and patronages to understand the issues they are facing during this difficult time.
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“Last week the Duke spoke to @mindcharity CEO Paul Farmer, and The Duchess spoke to Catherine Roche, CEO of @_place2be.
“Today Public Health England has published new guidance to help support people during the COVID-19 outbreak, and updated its world-leading Every Mind Matters platform, with specific advice on maintaining good mental wellbeing during the outbreak; visit the link in our bio to find out more.
“Speaking about the new guidance, The Duke and Duchess said: ‘It is great to see the mental health sector working together with the NHS to help people keep on top of their mental well-being.
“‘By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead.
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“‘The Government has also announced a grant for @MindCharity to help fund their services for people struggling with their mental wellbeing during this time.’”
Their post has received more than 277,000 ‘likes’ as well as over 2,200 comments.
One person wrote: “Nice desk Kate!”
Another shared: “Thank you for continuing to champion mental health especially during this very difficult time!”
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And a third added: “Cutest royal couple EVER.”
The new initiative - unveiled by Nadine Dorries, the mental health minister - provides advice on how family and friends can stay in touch with loved ones via video calls and social media, as well as how people can build a regular exercise routine and sleep pattern.
She also revealed that there would be an additional £5m funding given to help mental health charities expand their services.
The politician, who recently returned to work after being diagnosed with coronavirus, said: “When I discovered I had coronavirus I felt anxious and scared. For those who already suffer with anxiety or other mental health issues this may present new and difficult challenges.
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“It's imperative that we stay home if we are to beat coronavirus and save lives. I know how important it is that people have support to look after their mental health and this guidance will be of huge value."
Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said: "Reaching out to friends and family is critical, as well as paying attention to the impact our physical health can have on our mental health - from diet and exercise to getting enough natural light and a little fresh air."
He added: "Whether we have an existing mental health problem or not, we are all going to need extra help to deal with the consequences of this unprecedented set of circumstances."
