Prince William is using the influence of the sporting world as part of his latest effort to tackle suicide and encourage people to speak more openly about their mental health.

The future King has enlisted some of Britain’s most recognisable sporting figures to help launch a new initiative designed to give sports organisations practical tools for supporting people who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress.

England captain Harry Kane and Formula One driver George Russell are among the high-profile athletes taking part in the campaign. Their involvement is intended to demonstrate how sport can play an important role in starting difficult conversations and reducing the stigma that can prevent people from asking for help.

The new resource, called “On Your Side”, is being launched on World Suicide Prevention Day. William will introduce the initiative with a major speech in which he is expected to challenge sporting organisations across the country to consider what more they can do to prevent suicide.

The Prince believes sport has an unusually powerful ability to reach people who may never seek assistance from conventional mental health services. Many individuals experiencing emotional difficulties may never contact a professional or openly admit that they are struggling. Instead, they can suffer privately without telling friends, colleagues or family members.

William argues that sports clubs, teams and organisations are uniquely positioned to identify those individuals and provide an opportunity for them to talk.

In his speech, he will encourage sporting bodies to examine the new toolkit and consider how suicide prevention can become a more established part of their everyday work. He believes the potential impact is enormous because sport reaches communities across the country and attracts people from a wide range of backgrounds.

The campaign is supported by a short film featuring several prominent athletes from different sporting disciplines. Alongside Kane and Russell are boxer Carl Frampton, Great Britain basketball player Kofi Josephs and former England rugby international Rocky Clark, who was part of the team that won the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The film also includes Ruqsana Begum, a two-time world champion boxer and accomplished kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter, as well as former elite jockey George Baker, who has since moved into coaching.

The sporting stars appear encouraging people to overcome the discomfort that often surrounds conversations about suicide. One of the most direct moments comes when Kane asks a simple but important question: “Are you thinking about suicide?”

The campaign aims to reinforce the idea that asking directly about suicide does not create suicidal thoughts. Instead, a calm and compassionate question can give someone the opportunity to express feelings that they may have been keeping hidden.

William delivers the final message in the film, emphasising that people do not need specialist qualifications or professional expertise to support somebody going through a difficult period.

His message is that ordinary people can make a difference simply by finding the confidence to begin a conversation and listen without judgement.

Hazel Detsiny, executive director of the Royal Foundation, has also stressed the importance of using clear and direct language when discussing suicide. She explained that expert guidance supports asking about suicide in a straightforward, calm and safe manner.

According to Detsiny, mentioning suicide does not make a person more likely to act on suicidal thoughts. Instead, it can help challenge the stigma surrounding the subject and make it easier for someone to explain what they are actually experiencing.

The launch event will take place at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, where William will be joined by a number of well-known sporting personalities.

Among those attending are Olympic champions Dame Kelly Holmes, Sir Jason Kenny and Dame Laura Kenny. Former England footballer Jill Scott and television presenter Gabby Logan will also participate in discussions about how the sporting community can contribute to suicide prevention.

Another prominent supporter is former England striker Alan Shearer, who has personal experience of the devastating consequences of suicide. Shearer was deeply affected by the death of his friend Gary Speed, the former Wales captain, manager and Everton midfielder, who died by suicide in 2011.

Shearer has acknowledged that it is not always possible to recognise when someone close to you is struggling. However, he believes everyone can improve their ability to ask questions, listen carefully and help people access appropriate support.

The former England striker also praised William’s continuing work at the intersection of sport and mental health and said he was pleased to support the Royal Foundation’s latest initiative.

“On Your Side” has been created to help sporting organisations develop the understanding, confidence and practical skills required to respond to suicide risk.

Several major sporting bodies have already committed to using the resource. These include the Football Association, Team GB and British Cycling, demonstrating the intention for the initiative to have an impact across multiple sports rather than being limited to football.

The 72-page toolkit has been developed by the Royal Foundation in collaboration with the British Standards Institution and mental health charity Chasing the Stigma.

William explains in the foreword that sport can provide people with a sense of belonging, connection and encouragement during some of the most difficult periods of their lives. He points to moments when individuals may be dealing with intense pressure, bereavement, disappointment or despair.

Through his own work in mental health, William says he has met people whose lives have been permanently affected by suicide. At the same time, he has also encountered people whose lives were saved because somebody noticed they were struggling and intervened at the right moment.

Those experiences have had a lasting impact on him and have reinforced his belief that early support can be crucial.

William argues that a timely conversation or act of support can potentially change the outcome for someone in crisis. For that reason, he wants suicide prevention to become part of normal sporting culture rather than something discussed only after a tragedy has occurred.

He hopes “On Your Side” will encourage organisations across every sport and at every level to incorporate suicide prevention into their regular activities.

The initiative builds on William’s previous work in this area. Last year, he launched the National Suicide Prevention Network, backed by a £1 million funding commitment from the Royal Foundation.

The new toolkit was partly inspired by sporting organisations themselves. According to the Royal Foundation, a number of sports bodies approached the organisation wanting to understand what practical steps they could take to help prevent suicide.

William has also previously spoken publicly about the emotional impact of meeting people affected by suicide. Last year, he became visibly emotional during a conversation with Rhian Mannings, whose husband died by suicide following the heartbreaking death of their one-year-old son.

That encounter provided another powerful reminder of the personal devastation suicide can cause to families.

Through “On Your Side”, William is now seeking to turn those experiences into practical action. Rather than relying solely on healthcare professionals, the initiative encourages sports clubs, governing bodies, coaches, athletes and other members of the sporting community to recognise warning signs and create environments where people feel safe enough to talk.

The central message of the campaign is straightforward: preventing suicide is not solely the responsibility of mental health specialists. Everyone can potentially play a role by asking questions, listening and helping someone find appropriate support.

For William, sport represents a particularly powerful platform for achieving that goal. His hope is that “On Your Side” will become part of the everyday culture of British sport, ensuring that athletes, staff and supporters know they are not alone when facing difficult moments.

By bringing together Olympic champions, football stars, rugby players, boxers, cyclists and Formula One drivers, the campaign sends a clear message that suicide prevention is an issue that crosses sporting boundaries.

William ultimately wants every organisation, regardless of its size or discipline, to view suicide prevention as part of its responsibilities. His wider ambition is to make conversations about mental health and suicide less frightening, less taboo and more common.

The message behind “On Your Side” is therefore both simple and powerful: sometimes, having the courage to ask one difficult question and genuinely listen to the answer can make an enormous difference.