The Duke of Cambridge spoke openly about how to see people dying when he was an air ambulance pilot left him traumatized “for weeks on end” and feeling that the world was a “darker and darker place”.
Drawing on his own experiences in speaking with frontline workers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince William, 38, admitted that his work has regularly affected his ‘family life’ and said he ‘really cares’ about the impact on the team now upon seeing ‘such high levels of sadness, trauma and death. ‘
The royals, who worked alongside doctors and paramedics providing emergency medical treatment at the East Anglian Air Ambulance, spoke in a video call to frontline officials and counselors about bereavement support.
William, who was visited by his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, who displayed an elegant style in a gray blazer with black collar details, said: ‘Some things I noticed from my previous spell flying in 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 through the Hospice UK’s Just ‘B’ Just ‘B’ grief counseling and support line on Wednesday.
In the photo, top line (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 how 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 about thinking that everyone around you is going to die, that’s what really worries me about frontline people right now.
‘That you are so in control at the moment and so pressured and you are seeing such high levels of sadness, trauma, death that it affects your own life and your own family life because it is always there.
– You are so involved in this, like everyone else, that it is natural for this to happen.
“But this is what I think a large part of the public does not understand, when you are surrounded by that level of intense trauma, sadness and grief.
‘It really stays, stays with you, at home stays with you for weeks on end, doesn’t it, and you see the world in a place much more, a little depressed, darker, darker.’
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were last seen with their children in a special pantomime performance at London’s Palladium Theater in December (photo)
An overview of the front of Anmer Hall at Sandringham Estate on January 13, 2013 in King’s Lynn
The royal couple stressed that it is vital that frontline personnel – including the police, who suffer from the stigma of having to apply blocking restrictions – seek support at this critical time and that the stigma surrounding seeking help for their mental health it must end.
Prince William continued: ‘This is an unprecedented moment that we are all facing. I think what really needs to be hit right now is that this is unlike anything anyone has seen, particularly this third wave that we’re going through now.
“People need to understand how you are normal human beings, doing brilliant work at a very, very difficult time and I hope that this service will give people the outlet they need.
‘I’m afraid, as you said, you are all so busy taking care of everyone else that you are not going to spend enough time taking care of yourself and we will not see the impacts for some time.
William spoke to Phil Spencer, the Cleveland Police’s welfare inspector, who told the royal couple about the frustration many officers felt at being at the height of the pandemic, having fined people who violate strict blocking regulations.
He said: ‘The work of the emergency service is difficult at the best times, policing is really difficult at the best times, but play the pandemic on that ….
‘We are all the same and don’t get me wrong, and the NHS is rightly an absolute hero and my heart goes to the London Ambulance Service and the rest of them, but we [the police service] sometimes they are seen as villains – again, I cannot do right by doing what is wrong – having to pay the fines and establish the law. ‘
The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured) said her thoughts are with workers on the front lines of the pandemic, as she celebrates a “very different” birthday. In the photo, on the real train trip in December
He warned: ‘Perhaps later on, when this is all over, we will have some broken police and emergency service teams.
‘Because we are so busy focusing on protecting the most vulnerable people in the communities, but hand in heart, I think our service is the most vulnerable people now and it is horrible to see. We need a lot of help. ‘
William replied, ‘This is an unprecedented moment that you are all facing. This is unlike anything people have seen, particularly this third wave that we are going through now.
‘People need to understand how you are normal people doing brilliant work at a very difficult time. You are so busy taking care of everyone else that you are not going to waste time taking care of yourself. ‘
The Duchess of Cambridge also questioned frontline workers about what else could be done to convince her colleagues of the importance of prioritizing themselves for help with mental health.
Kate said: ‘There has never been a more important time to have services like this, so I am very happy that they are being used as well.’
The call on Wednesday also highlighted how the Royal William and Kate Foundation was helping to provide financial support through its Covid-19 Response Fund.
The foundation partnered with NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Department of Health and Social Care to help fund the Hospice UK Just ‘B’ Helpline, which supports the NHS team, social workers, caregivers and all staff emergency services.