As part of the Feel No Shame campaign launched on World AIDS Day to reduce stigma around HIV, British Prince Harry divulged a secret on Monday, telling viewers that “believe it or not, I get incredibly nervous before public speaking, no matter how big the crowd or the audience.”
The campaign is being run by Sentebale, a charity co-founded by the prince in 2006 in order to support children affected by the AIDS crisis in Lesotho.
In a video message, Prince Harry said: “Despite the fact that I laugh and joke all the time, I get incredibly nervous, if not anxious, before going into rooms full of people when I’m wearing a suit. And now that I’ve confessed that, I’ll probably be even more worried that people are looking at me.”
Harry has shared his secret using the hashtag #feelnoshame, and asked the public to share their own secrets via social media in exchange for his. Several celebrities have joined the campaign. Singer Nicole Scherzinger told viewers that “sometimes I don’t feel like I’m enough, that I’m worth it and that I don’t fit in, but #feelnoshame.” Actress Gemma Arterton kept her secret more lighthearted, admitting that she has never watched Star Wars or Back to the Future.
Prince Harry said he wanted World AIDS Day to become a “day in which no-one should feel any shame about their secrets.” He appealed for support for the cause, reminding people that the virus “is the second-highest cause of death amongst those aged between 10-19 years old, and it is the number one cause of death across Africa.”
“One tragic issue in particular is the shame and stigma linked to HIV,” he added. “This causes thousands of children to needlessly die each year because they’re keeping their illness a secret and not getting the medical attention they need.”
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