The Prince of Wales fought back tears while speaking to a window about her husband’s suicide.
William, 43, had a moving conversation with Rhian Mannings, 48, whose youngest of three children George, one, passed away after suffering a seizure in 2012.
Her husband Paul Burke took his life just days later, despite the family being “so happy” before George’s death.
The talk marked the launch of a new National Suicide Prevention Network, spearheaded by the Royal Foundation, on World Mental Health Day on Friday.
Sitting down for a cup of tea and Welsh cakes at the Mannings family home in Cardiff, the pair spoke about the stigma surrounding suicide.
TW: Suicide and the death of a child.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 10, 2025
In 2012, Rhian's one-year-old son died suddenly. Five days later, her husband Paul tragically took his own life.
Talking about suicide is essential to prevent it. Thank you to Rhian and her family for sharing their story.
▶️ Watch the full… pic.twitter.com/U2fYYG1y3e
Mrs Mannings, who founded the charity 2wish, said: “There’s only ever one thing I would ever say to (Paul) if I had time with him and that would be, ‘Why didn’t you speak to me?’”
Overwhelmed by emotion, William looked away and said: “I’m sorry, it’s just hard to ask the questions.”
“No, it’s fine,” Mrs Mannings replied. “You’ve got children… it’s hard. And you’ve experienced loss yourself.”
Mrs Mannings said she would “forever go over those last few days” with Paul, wondering what signs she had missed.
“Nobody would talk about it or actually say what happened,” she said. “And I found that really confusing at the time.”
The two first met in 2017 when Mrs Mannings interviewed William, patron of mental health charity Heads Together, for the BBC documentary Mind Over Marathon.
She previously described William as “lovely and very reassuring” after they spoke about the death of his mother Princess Diana in 1997.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50, with one person in the UK taking their own life every 90 minutes.
William previously described 2024 as the "hardest year" of his life after his wife the Princess of Wales and father King Charles were diagnosed with cancer.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
