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Prince William and Duchess Kate Urge People to ‘Look After’ Mental Health During Coronavirus Pandemic

Healthy body and mind. Prince William and Duchess Kate reminded people that while social distancing is important to curb the spread of the coronavirus, it can cause obstacles for mental health that need to be addressed.

Related: How Coronavirus Has Affected the Royal Family

“The last few weeks have been anxious and unsettling for everyone,” the Duke, 37, and Duchess of Cambridge, 38, said in a joint statement via Twitter on Sunday, March 29. “We have to take time to support each other and find ways to look after our mental health. 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.”

Prince William and Duchess Kate Urge People to 'Look After' Mental Health During Coronavirus Pandemic
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge walk the cliff walk at Howth on March 04, 2020 in Dublin, Ireland. Shutterstock

The royal couple — who have been longtime advocates for mental health awareness — shared two new pictures of themselves speaking to charities at Kensington Palace via Instagram on Sunday. In one photo, William is seen talking on the phone with Paul Farmer, the CEO of charity Mind. Meanwhile, Kate chats with CEO of Place2Be, Catherine Roche, in another image. Both charities are part of William and Kate’s Heads Together campaign.

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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. 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; take a look at our Story or 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”. • The Government has also announced a grant for @MindCharity to help fund their services for people struggling with their mental wellbeing during this time.

A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on

“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,” Kensington Palace captioned the post.

Related: How Stars Are Self-Quarantining Amid Coronavirus

Days earlier, William and Kate visited an emergency call center in London to meet staff taking emergency calls from the public amid the pandemic.

“Catherine and I were proud to visit staff working at NHS 111, to pass on our personal thanks, along with those of my grandmother [Queen Elizabeth II] and father [Prince Charles], to staff working around the clock to provide care and advice to those that need it most,” William said in a statement on March 20. “The last few weeks, and more recent days have been understandably concerning with the continuing spread of coronavirus. But it’s at times like this when we realise just how much the NHS represents the very best of our country and society.”

Related: More Stars Who Tested Positive for Coronavirus

The queen, 93, released a statement on March 19 saying that she and her family “stand ready to play our part” in recovery efforts for the U.K., which has more than 17,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 1,000 deaths.

Given the constantly evolving nature of COVID-19, UsWeekly wants our readers to have access to the most accurate resources. For the most up-to-date coronavirus information, guidance and support, consult the CDCWHO and information from local public health officials. If you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms, call your primary care provider for medical advice.

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