Princess Kate has dropped an explosive statement to mark the Addiction Awareness Week.
The Princess of Wales is patron of the Forward Trust, a charity focused on supporting people recovering from addiction.
In her statement, Prince William’s wife said, "Addiction is not a choice, or a personal failing, but a complex mental health condition that should be met with empathy and support. But still, even now in 2025, people's experience of addiction is shaped by fear, shame and judgement. This needs to change.”
Kate added, "The stigma surrounding those who face addiction allows it to thrive behind closed doors, impacting families and communities, and ultimately ruining lives. Many of us will know someone who is struggling with an addiction.”
The princess launched the first Addiction Awareness Week in 2021 on behalf of the trust.
She noted, "Recovery is hard, but with the right treatment it is possible. And this begins with a conversation, a listening ear and showing we care. So please join the conversation. By talking about it in the open, together we can bring addiction and the harm it causes out of the shadows.”
While concluding the message, Kate encouraged individuals to bring the issue "out of the shadows."
