While visiting a community centre in London which focuses on LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, Prince William, was asked how he would feel if any of his three children came out as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer – or questioning – and others).
The Duke of Cambridge was helping to launch akt’s new YouthSpace in Hoxton, meeting with staff, volunteers and young people who visit the British charity. According to the organisation, it was the first time a member of the royal family has ever visited an LGBTQ+ youth charity.
When asked what he would think if Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, or Prince Louis, 1, came out later in life, Prince William responded with, “I think you really don’t start thinking about that until you are a parent”, saying it would be “obviously absolutely fine by me.”
The father-of-three did admit that he would be concerned about potential “backlash” and how his kids’ sexualities would be “interpreted and seen” in their public roles, saying that he and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, “have been doing a lot of talking about it to make sure they were prepared.”
Prince William later elaborated on his thoughts while speaking to akt ambassador Faz Bukhari, saying he worries about how much harder his children’s lives could be if they were to come out and how important it is to change the remaining stigma and attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community now.
“I’ve only started thinking about it since I had children,” the Duke of Cambridge said. “It is something I’m nervous about, not because I’m worried about them being gay, it’s more about the fact that I’m worried about the pressures that they’re going to face and how much harder their life could be.”
“I fully support whatever decision they make, but it does worry me from a parent point of view, how many barriers, hateful words, persecution, all that discrimination that might come, that’s what troubles me a little bit,” he continued, saying that it’s up to “all of us to try and correct” the stigma and backward views towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Prince William also said he was “appalled” by the recent homophobic attack toward a lesbian couple on a bus in London. “Things have progressed, but not nearly as much as they need to,” he said. akt member Claire Evans said it was great to hear that Prince William has an “awareness he has of how difficult things are” and knows how important it is to focus on mental health and the “suicide issue, which is a massive, massive issue for the community.”
We’re glad to hear William and Kate are thinking ahead and are sure Prince Harry and Meghan Markle feel the same way about their little boy, Prince Louis.
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