The Princess of Wales has urged society to show “compassion and love” to those who are addicted to drugs, alcohol or gambling.
Catherine said society’s experience of addiction has been “shaped by fear, shame and judgement”, and urged people to have open conversations and bring the problem “out of the shadows”.
The message was tagged as Addiction Awareness Week, which lasts from November 23rd to November 30th.
Kate is a patron of the Forward Trust, the charity behind the week-long campaign to support recovering addicts.
The foundation conducted an IPSOS study, according to which the majority of adults have experienced or known someone who has lived with addiction.
In her message, the royal said: “Addiction is not a choice or a personal failure, but a complex mental health condition that needs to be met with empathy and support. But still, in 2025, people’s experience of addiction is shaped by fear, shame and judgement. This needs to change.
“The stigma surrounding addiction allows it to flourish behind closed doors, impacting families and communities and ultimately ruining lives. Many of us know someone struggling with addiction.
“Now is the time to show our sympathy and love to help them or their friends and family contact organizations like The Forward Trust for support.”
The Princess of Wales talks to families of recovering addicts at the launch of the Forward Trust’s Taking Action on Addiction campaign at the BAFTAs in London in October 2021
Kate, who launched the first Addiction Awareness Week in 2021 on behalf of the trust, added: “Recovery is hard, but with the right treatment it is possible. And that starts with talking, listening and showing that we care.
‘So join the conversation. By talking about it openly, we can together bring addiction and the harm it causes out of the shadows.
He added, “We can reframe this issue with kindness and understanding, and we can help individuals and families coping with addiction know they are not alone.”
Former England and Arsenal football captain Tony Adams, a recovering alcoholic and chairman of the Forward Trust, recorded the video to launch a series of films highlighting the conversation with his mother-in-law that started his journey to seek help.
He urged: “If you’re struggling with addiction or a mental health problem, reach out and get the right help. The biggest thing I ever did was say, ‘I can’t do this.’
The IPSOS survey has been published as part of the Forward Trust’s Taking Action on Addiction campaign, which Kate launched in 2021 to get the country talking about addiction to tackle the stigma that can be a barrier to getting support.
Catherine leaves the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall on 19 November 2025
According to a survey conducted in October, of the 2,124 respondents, 53 percent had personal experience with addiction or knew someone who had.
Of those who directly reported their addiction, 53 percent said they felt uncomfortable talking about their situation with their employer, 35 percent with a close family member, 30 percent with a friend, 28 percent with their general practitioner, and 27 percent with their partner.
While 31 percent of those who responded to the survey agreed with the statement that those who have experienced addiction only have themselves to blame, every fourth (41 percent) disagreed.
According to the survey, 81 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that those addicted to alcohol, drugs, medicines or gambling should be treated as people who struggle and need help.