The Duke of Cambridge has spoken bluntly about how seeing people die when he was an air ambulance pilot left him traumatized “for weeks” and feeling that the world was a “darker, blacker place”.
Based on his own experiences talking to front-line workers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince William, 38, admitted that his work regularly affected his “family life” and said that “really he worries “about the impact the staff now has on seeing” such high levels of sadness, trauma and death. “
The royal, who worked alongside doctors and paramedics providing emergency medical treatment to the East Anglian air ambulance, spoke in a video call conversation with front-line workers and counselors about mourning support.
William, to whom his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, joined the call, wearing a sleek display in a gray blazer with black collar details, said: “Something I noticed from the my previous spell flying with the air ambulance with the team.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge heard about the crucial mental health support provided to frontline workers during the pandemic by Hospice UK’s Just ‘B’ mourning advice and support line.
Pictured, top row (LR): – Carly Kennard, Jules Lockett, Conal Devitt and Manal Sadik. Middle row (LR): – Phil Spencer, Tony Collins and Caroline Francis
“When you see so much death and so much grief, it affects the way you see the world. It’s very interesting what you said about being able to see things in a different light.
‘I think you said you thought everyone around you would die, that’s what really worries me about the frontline staff right now.
“That you are so submissive to the moment and so pressured and that you see levels of sadness, trauma and death so high that they affect your own life and your own family life because it is always there.
“You’re so attracted to it, that everyone is, it’s only natural that it would happen.
“But that’s what I think a lot of audiences don’t understand, that when you’re surrounded by that level of intense trauma, sadness and grief.
“Really, he stays with you, you stay at home for weeks, no, and you see the world in a much, much more depressed, darker, blacker place.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were last seen with their children attending a special pantomime performance at the Palladium Theater in London in December (pictured)
An overview of the Anmer Hall façade on the Sandringham estate on 13 January 2013 at King’s Lynn
The royal couple stressed that it is vital that front-line staff, including police, who suffer from the stigma of having to apply blocking restrictions, seek support at this critical time and that the stigma surrounding the search for help for your mental health should end.
Prince William continued: “This is an unprecedented moment that we are all facing. I think we really need to nail ourselves at home right now, is that this is not like anything anyone has ever seen, particularly this third wave that we are living right now.
“People need to understand how you are normal human beings doing a brilliant job at a very, very difficult time and I hope this service gives people the outlet they need.
“I’m afraid, as you said, you’re so busy taking care of the rest that you don’t take enough time to take care of yourself and we won’t see the impacts for quite some time.”
William spoke with Phil Spencer, a Cleveland police welfare inspector, who explained to the royal couple the frustration many police felt at the end of the pandemic, by handing out fines to people who violated strict blocking rules. .
He said: “The work of the emergency service is difficult in the best of times, the police are really difficult in the best of times, but to launch the pandemic …
“We are all equal and we are not wrong, and the NHS is rightly absolute heroes and my heart goes to the London ambulance service and the rest of them, but we [the police service] sometimes it is seen as the bad guys (again they can’t do good to do wrong) having to withdraw the fines and set the law ”.
The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured) has said her thoughts are with front-line pandemic workers as she celebrates a “very different” birthday. In the photo, on the royal train tour in December
He warned: “Maybe later when all this is over we will have some broken police officers and emergency services personnel.
“Because we’re too busy focusing on protecting the most vulnerable people in the communities, but with all my heart, I think our service is the most vulnerable people right now and it’s horrible to see it. We need so much help.”
William replied, “This is an unprecedented moment that you are all facing. This is like nothing that people have ever seen, particularly this third wave that we are experiencing right now.
‘People need to understand how you are normal people doing a brilliant job at a very difficult time. You are all so busy caring for everyone else that you will soon take care of yourself.
The Duchess of Cambridge also asked front-line workers about what more could be done to convince her colleagues of the importance of prioritizing themselves to help with mental health.
Kate said: “There has never been a more important time to have services like this, so I’m very happy that they are being used as well.”
Wednesday’s call also highlighted how the Royal William and Kate Foundation was helping to provide financial support through its Covid-19 response fund.
The foundation has partnered with NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Department of Health and Social Care to help fund Hospice UK’s Just ‘B’ support line, which supports NHS staff, social care, caregivers and all emergency services staff.