Prince William
That’s how much he suffered during his time as a rescue pilot
Prince William put a heavy strain on his time as a rescue pilot.
© imago images / Papixs / Starface
Prince William worked as a rescue pilot a few years ago. Incidents with children in particular bothered him, he says.
Prince William (39) remembered his time as a rescue pilot in a conversation with first responders. In a video on the Cambridge official YouTube channel he speaks openly about how much his job bothered him back then. Every mission involving children “really moved” him. There have been a “series of moments” “when I had to withdraw because I was just too involved,” says the 39-year-old. It was “very difficult” for him to see families in such situations – especially because he had his own family at home.
It was “really important” for him to talk to someone after the incident. Still: “It won’t let you go, you just cope better with it.”
Corona year was particularly challenging for rescue workers
Prince William is talking to a couple who have had similar experiences. As emergency assistants and paramedics, they too struggle with their mental health through their jobs. Especially in the Corona year, the two “saw more deaths, more tragedies, more sadness, layer after layer,” said William. Will Parish confirmed, “It’s been a pretty daunting and scary time.”
The video was shown on Thursday (November 25) at a Royal Foundation symposium where senior UK emergency services executives discussed the mental health of their workforce. In a speech, Prince William stated according to “People”that he remembered “the feeling of solidarity with my team” during his time as a rescue pilot. They all “pulled together to do our best and to share the burden of responsibility”. But he also remembers “that I returned home, the stresses and strains of the day went through my head and I didn’t want to burden my family with what I had seen”. At the symposium, William announced the so-called “Blue Light Together” package, which is intended to support the mental health of the rescue workers.
Prince William trained as a helicopter pilot with the Royal Air Force from 2009 to 2010. He then worked until 2013 at the Search and Rescue unit in Wales. Shortly after the birth of his eldest son, Prince George (8), he gave up his military career.