CW: Suicidal ideation, rape, sexual assault 

A new mental health series featuring Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey is being released on Friday. The trailer for the Apple TV+ documentary The Me You Can’t See is now available for viewing. Prince Harry is a co-creator and executive producer of the show. 

What can we expect with The Me You Can’t See?

Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are featured in the trailer, and there will be appearances from Lady Gaga, actor Glenn Close and basketball player DeMar DeRozan. These celebrities have candidly discussed mental health before, and this series will aim to destigmatize mental health. 

Both Winfrey and the prince speak about their personal experiences in the trailer for the show. Here is what Prince Harry had to say to Oprah: “To make that decision to receive help is not a sign of weakness. In today’s world, more than ever, it is a sign of strength.”

The two celebrities are also shown discussing the stigma around talking about mental health. They said that those who experience mental health issues are commonly labeled “crazy, lost it, can’t keep it together.”

In response to her own experiences, Winfrey commented: “It’s just something I accepted.”

Related: How to Manage Your Emotions and Improve Your Mood

Why Did Prince Harry and Oprah Want to Create This Series?

Both Prince Harry and Oprah have dealt with personal tragedy, trauma, and mental health. According to Prince Harry, growing up in the royal family was like being in a zoo. The series shows clips from his mother Diana’s funeral in 1997. 

The series also follows various interviews where Harry discussed his mental health.

This past week in discussion with actor Dax Shepard, the prince hinted that he took issue with the way his father, Prince Charles, had raised him. He also said being a part of the British family created a cycle of “pain and suffering.  

In a famous jaw-dropping interview with Oprah in March, Harry revealed his emotional and mental health struggles. During that same interview, Meghan admitted that she contemplated suicide when she was pregnant with Archie.

Earlier this year, another bombshell broke out when Harry revealed that he stepped back from the royal family in 2020 in response to the British press because their actions were “destroying” his mental wellbeing.  

On The Late Late Show with host James Corden, Harry talked about the pressures of being a royal and why he moved away from London. He said how he had to “get (his) family out of here.” Also, he mentioned that he preferred the depiction of royal life seen on Netflix’s The Crown than the stories published about the royals in news publications. 

Here is what else he had to say:

“We all know what the British press can be like, and it was destroying my mental health,” he said during the segment. “I was like, this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do.”

As for Oprah Winfrey, she has had mental health struggles, especially due to her tumultuous childhood. 

At six years old, Winfrey was sent to live with her mother in a Milwaukee boarding house. Not only did she live in poverty, but she experienced years of sexual and physical abuse.

What Does This Mental Health TV Series Hope to Achieve?

The series will feature Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey discussing their own journeys and struggles. It will also bring education to a misunderstood topic. 

According to a statement on the Sussexes’ Archewell website, the series will give hope to viewers who learn that they are not alone.”