How Kate Middleton 'Opened Up' Conversations on 'Mental Health and Suicide' With One Small Move
Kate Middleton can masterfully find creative ways to spark important discussions on bigger platforms.
If Taylor Swift is famous for dropping Easter eggs through music videos, Kate Middleton could very well be known for doing the same thing through her outfits. The Princess of Wales always seems to find creative and unique ways to pay tribute to people and places, be it through her impeccable flag dressing or recreating Princess Diana’s iconic looks. However, there are times when the beloved royal harnesses her talent to spark discussions about causes close to her heart.
In June 2023, during a visit to the Maidenhead Rugby Club, Middleton was gifted a set of star-shaped earrings by a grieving mother, Sarah Renton, who had lost her 17-year-old daughter, Issy Phipps, to suicide that same year. The pair of earrings were made in her memory by her cousin, Sophie McGown, through her jewelry label, Issy Star. The Princess of Wales not only accepted the gracious gift but also found the perfect platform to showcase the earrings and to open up a broader conversation about mental health.
The royal wore the star-shaped earrings on World Mental Health Day in October 2023 while hosting a mental health forum, Exploring our Emotional Worlds in Birmingham. “Kate first wore the earrings on such a significant day that touched and resonated with so many people, and she knew how much that would mean to us and to Issy,” McGown told Hello! She further mentioned that her cousin would have been “gobsmacked” by the move.
The world is no stranger to the phenomenon of the ‘Kate effect’ wherein everything that the Princess of Wales chooses to wear instantly becomes the rage. And the popular royal has used her influence to draw attention to important conversations and support greater initiatives. McGown noted, “I think what Kate did by wearing our earrings meant so much to us because it opened up a talking point about mental health and suicide.”
The star-shaped earrings sold out immediately after Middleton wore them and continue to bring in sales for Issy Star. The jewelry label has recently sent the princess a box of their new designs. Hopefully, the mental health ambassador and fashion icon will style them soon.
On Thursday, the Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance alongside Prince William in Liverpool to launch On Your Side, a suicide prevention toolkit for people in sport. This event marked the couple’s first joint engagement after dropping off Prince George at Eton College earlier this week.
