Catherine joins Prince William at suicide prevention campaign
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Catherine joins William as he says sport can save lives from suicide
Image source: PA Media
Image caption: Catherine joined Prince William to launch the mental health project in Liverpool
By Sean Coughlan, Royal correspondent
Published 10 September 2026, 00:00 BST
Updated 1 hour ago
The Princess of Wales has made a surprise appearance alongside her husband the Prince of Wales, as he gave an impassioned call to the sports sector to help prevent suicides.
"Sport can help save lives," Prince William told sports players, mental health charities, and sports industry figures at Everton’s football ground in Liverpool.
He was launching a project that wants to use sport to help open conversations and end the stigma surrounding mental health.
"Sport has the ability to reach people who may never walk through the door of a mental healthcare service," he said.
Image source: PA Media
Image caption: Everton’s football ground hosted Prince William’s suicide prevention project
The On Your Side project wants to give people confidence to start the "difficult conversations" with friends, relations, teammates, or colleagues who might be struggling with their mental health and at risk of suicide.
It is being supported by sport stars including England football captain Harry Kane, retired British middle distance athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, and former England football star Alan Shearer.
Royal sources said that Catherine wanted to attend to "highlight the difference that can be made when people feel able to talk openly about how they are feeling and when someone is there to listen."
"Never underestimate the difference that you can make," said Prince William, stressing that suicide prevention was "not someone else’s responsibility." "It belongs to all of us," he said.
Talking of hidden anxieties, he added: "We do not always see what is happening behind closed doors, or understand the battles that may be taking place beneath the surface."
Dame Kelly talked of her own struggles: "We talk about suicide, which is the end for that journey. What we forget is that journey has happened for a long period of time. What we need to avoid is that journey coming to that endpoint."
Image source: Reuters
Image caption: Dame Kelly Holmes talked about the mental health challenges facing sports players
It was important that sports stars admitted their own vulnerability, said Olympic cyclist Dame Laura Kenny.
She spoke movingly of how a family member had tried to take their life and how she felt "almost ashamed to admit that this could happen in my family because it’s not a subject that is easily spoken about."
On Your Side aims to use the reach of sport to raise awareness about suicide and to show people the help available in a crisis, with the Football Association, Premier League, and Team GB providing support.
The level of suicide is disproportionately higher among men than women – it is the biggest cause of death for men under the age of 50 in the UK – and sport is seen as an effective way of communicating that help is available.
"My hope is that every sporting organisation in the country will look at what is being launched today and ask a question: ‘What more can we do?’ Because the opportunity before us is enormous," Prince William said.
The royal couple saw a bench at the ground dedicated in memory of Gary S.
