It seems that there is a hard and fast rule for how royalty should behave in public, so this is it: Do not show emotion. But famous aristocrats like Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Crown Princess Victoria, who have all spoken openly about the pressure of being in the spotlight, are breaking down these barriers. In an interview in 2017 with Sweden’s SVT, just before her 40th birthday, the future Swedish monarch spoke candidly about his ongoing battle with mental health. “The performance anxiety I had is still there,” she said, adding, “I’ve been given different kinds of tools and learned how to deal with it” (via The Telegraph).

Although it would have been easy to attribute her emotional anxiety to being a public figure, to having all her movements dissected and scrutinized, Victoria dismissed the idea and said in the interview: “There are as many reasons to feel bad as there are people.” (via Hello!). However, she expressed concern about the unhealthy expectations that social media places on young people.

With Depression and feelings of loneliness on the rise among young people, modern royalty such as Victoria are a positive example when it comes to speaking out and stigmatizing mental health challenges.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call National Alliance against Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit National Institute of Mental Health website.