A house divided against itself cannot stand, yet the rift between Prince Harry and Prince William was never so stark as the pair appeared at competing events for World Mental Health Day, writes Emily Ferguson.

prince harry prince william world mental health day

Prince Harry and Prince William marked World Mental Health Day separately (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry teamed up with Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, in May 2016 to launch Heads Together, a nationwide campaign involving several charities to end stigma around mental health.

The trio were resolute in their shared ambition to change the conversation on mental health and worked closely together on the matter.

They donned bright blue headbands in support of the campaign and travelled around the country speaking to experts and members of the public to learn more about why it is so important that mental health is discussed without fear.

But seven years on, the royal brothers marked World Mental Health Day separately and on different sides of the globe.

 

Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hosted a summit in New York City on how to keep children safe in a digital age.

It is apparent that both Harry and William remain passionate on the topic of mental health and are keen to break the longstanding stigma that surrounds people experiencing depression, anxiety and other leading mental health problems.

But their efforts would have proved much more worthwhile if they were to continue to team up, as strength in numbers typically prevails.

A joint visit was likely out of the question due to the travelling involved, but a video message or a statement issued together would have been equally as powerful.

 

The Prince And Princess Of Wales Mark World Mental Health Day - Day 1

Prince William and Kate marked World Mental Health Day in Birmingham (Image: Getty)

Project Healthy Minds' World Mental Health Day Festival 2023

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in New York yesterday (Image: Getty)

 

But their silence only serves as a further reminder that the two brothers are poles apart – georgraphically and ideologically.

William remains furious at his brother for revealing royal secrets and sharing damning stories about senior royals – notably himself and the King.

They have rarely spoken and the situation shows no signs of improving.

What yesterday reminded the nation was that two royal brothers who were once inseparable are no more – and their separate paths seem unlikely to converge anytime soon.