Advertisement

Prince William opens up about witnessing death during his work as an air ambulance pilot

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

Prince William has opened up about his experiences witnessing death while working as an air ambulance pilot, as he discussed the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline workers.

Appearing on a call with various workers from both the NHS and the police, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge discussed the importance of providing mental health support for frontline staff, particularly those dealing with death at work - with a counselling support line being partly funded by William and Kate's Royal Foundation.

While listening to the experiences of workers tackling the COVID pandemic, William also shared how he himself dealt with witnessing death and bereavement during his time as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where he worked from 2015 to 2017.

He revealed that the experience "stays with you" and added, "you see the world in a much more slightly depressed, darker, blacker place".

Speaking to frontline workers, William explained: "Some of it I noticed from my previous spell flying with the air ambulance with the team. When you see so much death and so much bereavement, it does impact how you see the world."

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

Responding to the experiences of frontline staff, he continued: "It is very interesting what you said about being able to see things in a different light. I think you said about thinking everyone around you is going to die - that is what really worries me about the front line staff at the moment.

"You are so under the cosh [under pressure] at the moment and so pressurised and you’re seeing such high levels of sadness, trauma, death, that it impacts your own life and your own family life because it is always there."

William went on to add: "You’re so drawn into it, which everyone is, it is only natural that would happen. But that’s what I think a lot of the public don’t understand, that when you’re surrounded by that level of intense trauma and sadness and bereavement... It really does, it stays with you, at home it stays with you for weeks on end, doesn’t it, and you see the world in a much more, slightly depressed, darker, blacker place."

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

William and Kate's Royal Foundation has helped to fund Hospice UK’s Just ‘B’ support line, providing counselling and bereavement support for NHS staff, social care workers, carers and emergency service staff, through a partnership with NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Discussing the importance of mental health support for frontline workers, William explained: "People need to understand how you are normal human beings doing a brilliant job in a very, very difficult time, and I hope this service gives people the outlet that they need."

Cosmopolitan UK's current issue is out now and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.


You Might Also Like