The Duke of Sussex has given his backing to a new project focusing on mental health. Harry helped launch the Mental Fitness Charter, a scheme being run as part of the Rugby World Cup 2021.
The initiative was announced on Thursday morning ahead of the draw for the competition. In a video released to mark the start of this new programme, Harry said the charter would focus on the ”mental fitness of players, coaches, fans and communities hosting the matches”. And he praised the work already done within the Rugby League to offer support for mental health issues.
This is the first time that a major, international sporting event has developed a central charter focusing on mental fitness as part of the overall competition. In his message to mark the launch of the initiative, Harry said that all 21 nations taking part in the Rugby League World Cup would be encouraged to take the lessons they’ve learned from the scheme back home with them to extend support for mental health.
The programme will see all those involved in the competition offered training and education in looking after their own mental health and in being able to extend support to those around them.
The announcement came just hours before the Duke of Sussex was set to carry out his first engagement since he and the Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping back from their roles as senior royals so they can seek financial independence. Harry, who is Patron of the Rugby Football League, was set to oversee the draws for the World Cup in a special event at Buckingham Palace on Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday, the Duke of Sussex was seen in another video message released on social media revealing that Dusseldorf in Germany has been chosen as the host for the 2022 Invictus Games.
