London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

Duchess of Cambridge says addiction can 'happen to any of us'

Duchess of Cambridge says addiction can 'happen to any of us'

Addiction can "happen to any of us," Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge warned while launching an awareness campaign in London on Tuesday.

The duchess gave a speech at the launch of the "Taking Action on Addiction" campaign by the Forward Trust, a British charity of which she is a patron, about the reality of addiction as a "serious mental health condition."

"Addiction is not a choice. No one chooses to become an addict," she said. "But it can happen to any one of us. None of us are immune."

Kate, wife of Prince William, stressed that despite addiction's omnipresence, it is "seldom discussed" as a serious mental health condition in society.

She added that it is crucial to recognize "what lies beneath addiction" so "we can help remove the taboo and shame that sadly surrounds it."

The duchess was joined by popular UK television presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in launching the campaign, which strives to "reframe existing perceptions of addiction and build awareness of the causes and nature of addiction."

She highlighted the toll the pandemic has taken on families and children hit by addiction issues.

"We know that over one and a half million people across the UK who did not have substance misuse prior to lockdown may now be experiencing problems associated with increased alcohol consumption," she said.

The duchess also pointed toward an alarming increase of one million young people exhibiting addictive behavior since the pandemic began.

Around two million people who would have been classified as "in recovery" may have suffered a relapse over the past 18 months, she said.

Despite the stark figures, she paid tribute to the likes of the Forward Trust, which, she said are helping people to turn their lives around.

The campaign will "show us that, not only do many people recover from addiction, but they can also go on to prosper," she emphasized.

On Sunday, Kate and William attended the awards ceremony for the inaugural winners of the Earthshot Prize -- a Nobel-like award for the environment founded by the duke and renowned British naturalist David Attenborough to inspire innovative solutions to the most pressing environmental challenges facing the planet.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×