Kate Middleton Sports a Floral Frock for Mental Health Charity Meeting

Spring is in the air for Kate Middleton—or at least on her clothes. 

On Tuesday, the Duchess of Cambridge stepped out in a colorful floral frock alongside her husband, Prince William, and brother-in-law, Prince Harry, in honor of their Heads Together mental health campaign, which they spearheaded together a year ago. The royal mother of two paired her elegant daytime ensemble by Erdem with a burgundy clutch and coordinating Tod’s leather pumps. 

The trio arrived in London to discuss their organization ahead of the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon. Heads Together, which coordinates with eight mental health organizations, is the marathon’s charity of the year and funds raised in the run will go toward related initiatives. Over the past year, the royal three have championed against mental health stigmas and encouraged constituents throughout the United Kingdom to treat mental and physical well-being equally. 

“Mental health matters to each and every one of us. It matters just as much as our physical health,” Prince William told attendees. “There are times when, whoever we are, it is hard to cope with challenges—and when that happens being open and honest and asking for help is life-changing.”

The royal continued by revisiting the message the group has touted from the start. “Talking to someone else is a positive and confident step to take—but for too long it has been a case of ‘Keep Quiet and Carry On.’ As a result, too many people have suffered in silence for too long, and the effects of this can be devastating,” he explained. 

“It is no exaggeration to say that conversations—simple conversations—can be life-changing: in a workplace, in your kitchen at home, with a friend, family member or colleague. And that’s what Catherine, Harry and I want to do – we want more people to be having those conversations.

Middleton echoed her husband, encouraging anyone listening to speak up when they need to without fear. “The challenge that so many people have is not knowing how to take that first step of reaching out to another person for help. Admitting that they are not coping. Fear, or reticence, or a sense of not wanting to burden another, means that people suffer in silence—allowing the problem to grow larger and larger unchecked,” she described. 

“One thing is certain, we are all wired differently,” Prince Harry concluded. “We all have mental health; and we’ll say it again and again and again, if you want to be fit, healthy and set yourself up for success then your mental fitness is absolutely as important as your physical fitness. Everyone would get help for a broken leg, so why not seek help for an issue that could hamper you and others around you?”