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The Princess of Wales proudly showed three framed photos of her family in a new video message with a heartwarming message to those struggling with addiction.
In the clip, released this morning, the mother of three appears to be speaking from her home as she films the campaign message to mark the first day of Addiction Awareness Week.
The royal, patron of the charity The Forward Trust, said addiction is “a serious health condition” and “not a choice” in the video that kicked off the Taking Action on Addiction campaign.
Next to a vase of flowers and a gold lamp, a selection of family photos featuring Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince William adorn the wooden sideboard in the background.
Kate Middleton today released a statement of support for people suffering from addiction, urging them not to let shame stop them from asking for help. The Princess of Wales was proud to see three family photos in the background
The Prince and Princess of Wales exchanged a loving look while wearing Chitral Scouts regimental caps during their Pakistan tour in November 2019. This sweet image was one of three the mother of three had on display.
Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, photographed on their first day of school together in September 2018. This is the second image the princess chose for her recent video message
The Prince and Princess of Wales were photographed at their Norfolk home, Amner Hall, sitting on a hay bale with their three children in the fall of 2020. In addition to selecting it for their Christmas card that year, the Prince and Princess have a framed copy kept for their dresser
On the left, the 41-year-old princess snapped a framed photo during her and Prince William’s five-day tour of Pakistan in November 2019.
The sweet photo shows the royal couple exchanging a loving look while wearing Chitral Scouts regimental caps.
While the then Duchess of Cambridge’s printed yellow hat was covered in pink peacock feathers, Prince William’s traditional headgear featured a white metal emblem in the shape of a goat with a screw horn.
Alongside this sweet photo with her husband, Kate has posted a photo of Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, on their first day of school together in September 2018.
The Princess of Wales, patroness of charity The Forward Trust, said addiction is ‘a serious health condition’ and ‘not a choice’
The couple’s two eldest children were pictured in their navy-and-red matching uniforms on the steps of Kensington Palace shortly before leaving for St Thomas’s Battersea.
Prince George had been attending the £20,000 a year school in South West London for two years when his sister started attending the school in 2018.
Following the family’s move to Windsor earlier this year, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are all enrolled in the Berkshire-based £21,000-a-year Lambrook prep school.
The last photo the princess showed before the video message was the same portrait she and William chose for their Christmas card in 2020.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were shot in the autumn of 2020 at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, sitting on a bale of hay with their three children.
As Princess Charlotte sits on her mother’s lap, Prince George leans lovingly on William as then-two-year-old Prince Louis beams at the camera in the center.
During her video message, Kate said society needs to recognize that “the only way to help those who suffer is to try to understand what led them to addiction.”
She said others should “sympathize with them” and be “compassionate.”
The Princess of Wales said: ‘And so today, during Addiction Awareness Week, I want to share a message of support for those who continue to suffer.
“Please know that addiction is not a choice. No one chooses to become addicted.
“I want you to know that this is also a serious health condition. Please don’t let shame stop you from getting the help you so desperately need.
“The charities leading the Taking Action on Addiction campaign are working with others across the country to deliver life-changing work to help people recover and move forward.”
“They’re here for you. Therefore, ask for help. I know this was not a choice. Recovery is possible.’
The Taking Action on Addiction campaign aims to reframe existing perceptions of addiction, raise awareness of the causes and nature of addiction, improve understanding, reduce prejudice and empower more people to get help.
Mike Trace, chief executive of The Forward Trust, said: ‘Addiction Awareness Week speaks directly to people affected by addiction, providing support and understanding so that more people ask for and receive help.’