Prince William has made history by becoming the first member of the royal family to have been photographed for the cover of a gay publication.
The Duke of Cambridge is the cover star of this month’s gay lifestyle magazine Attitude.
It comes after the Prince invited Attitude to bring members of the LGBT+ community to Kensington Palace to discuss their experience of bullying and the mental health impacts it can have.
The father-of-two heard stories of how bullying had led to low self-esteem, suicide attempts, eating disorders, depression, and in one case, the death of a young man after an unintentional overdose.
- 33.9% of young LGB people had made at least one suicide attempt compared to 17.9% of young straight people.
- 48.1% of trans young people had attempted suicide.
- 57.1 % of LGB people had self-harmed at least once compared to 38.3% of heterosexual young people.
- 85.2% of trans young people had self-harmed as opposed to
- 47.4% of cisgender (born into the body you feel you are) young people.
The Prince said: “No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason and no one should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured in their lives.
“The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now.
“Their sense of strength and optimism should give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it.
"What I would say to any young person reading this who’s being bullied for their sexuality: don’t put up with it – speak to a trusted adult, a friend, a teacher, Childline, Diana Award or some other service and get the help you need. You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Attitude editor Matthew Todd said: “During my time as editor of Attitude I have met parents whose child has taken or lost their life after being bullied for being LGBT+ or even just perceived to be LGBT.
“I am very happy that the future King of The United Kingdom agrees this must stop and I would urge parents in particular to raise their voices in their communities to ensure that every school protects – really protects – all children.”
The cover comes a day after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge signed a book of condolence for victims of the gay nightclub shooting in Orlando at the embassy in Westminster, central London.
Lone gunman Omar Mateen, 29, left 49 people dead and dozens of others wounded in the massacre at Pulse in the Florida city on Sunday.
Prince William spoke out against homophobia last year in what was believed to be a first for the royal.
Discussing LGBT bullying and cyber-bullying with pupils at the Hammersmith Academy, the second-in-line to the throne talked about the best ways to deal with a homophobic bully.
Agreeing with one student who said he would speak up, the Duke of Cambridge said: “As the young man said, I would try to confront.”
The Royals rarely mention LGBT rights and none of them have ever spoken out in support of same-sex marriage, and so the move was hailed as a first by both Pink News and the Gay Times.
However, the Prince also hit the headlines when he defended an RAF colleague who had been threatened by other soldiers.