Prince William has revealed that he has been volunteering on a metal health hotline that is helping people cope with the global pandemic.
The Duke of Cambridge shared this little secret to his fellow team members last month, although it just became public.
The platform that he has been helping is Shout, which was launched in May 2019. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex initiated the establishment of this platform. Shout is Britain’s first 24/7 hotline that people can reach out to.
Kate Middleton has also helped the organization by making calls to previous clients to ensure that they are doing better after the help they received from Shout. The roles that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not been revealed in this particular announcement.
Shout was organized thanks to a £3 million investment from the royal family. In particular, Kensington Palace said that the funds came from The Royal Foundation.
These calls and other various measures are conducted as part of the Royal Voluntary Service’s National Health Service Volunteer Responders program. The main beneficiaries of the program are National Health Service (NHS) workers and other Britons who are having difficulties due to Covid-19.
Although extensive research will be required to reach a definitive conclusion, anecdotal and preliminary evidence points to the damage that social distancing and stay-at-home measures have had on people’s mental health.
Not only were many people suddenly forced to stay indoors, but also many suffered from some sort of decrease in income which is a known factor to increase chances of mental illnesses. Many nations, especially in Europe, have been paying great attention to people’s mental health during the pandemic.
Among the royals, Prince William has always been one of the most active and vocal in regards to mental health. Earlier this month, he released an one-minute video where he urged football fans to take care of their mental health after the seasons were abruptly suspended.
In 2019, he also spoke candidly about the emotional and mental toll that the death of his mother – Princess Diana – has had on him. The Duke said no man should ever feel embarrassed to admit their sadness and trauma.
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