Prince William Makes Unexpected Trip to Ireland to Talk About Mental Health

Prince William Visits a Mental Health Charity in Belfast 10/04/17
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The young royal took a surprise trip to support mental health charities working in Belfast.

Prince William made a surprise trip to Ireland on Wednesday in an effort to support a mental health charity.

The 35-year-old visited Belfast to see the work of Inspire, a charity that reaches 1,500 people with mental health support services, and focuses on young people with activities like art and athletics.

Kensington Palace shared video of Prince William greeting members of the group, as well as a photo of him sitting in on a discussion of Inspire's work.

Mental health is a cause near to the prince's heart, and he has been working alongside his brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Kate Middleton, to help remove the stigma surrounding mental illness.

In April, Prince William and Lady Gaga FaceTimed each other to discuss mental health awareness.

"It’s OK to have this conversation. It’s really important to have this conversation," he said during their talk.

Prince Harry also opened up on seeking therapy in his 20s with the support of William, after two years of "total chaos" struggling with the emotions from losing their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.

"I was on the verge of punching someone," he recalled, and added that he is now in a "good place."

Next Tuesday, William, Kate and Harry will be hosting a reception at Buckingham Palace for World Mental Health Day. It will be the Duchess's first appearance since announcing her third pregnancy.

For more on the royals' charitable work, watch the video below!