Boat for crossing the Atlantic
Prince William rows – and talks about fears
May 21, 2023, 4:59 p.m
Psychological conflicts can surface more quickly in a small space. Like on a boat. As he rows with a crew that soon has a long journey ahead of them, Britain’s Prince William draws attention – and shares personal – to mental health issues.
Prince William demonstrates his rowing skills: The heir to the British throne has set out with the crew of the HMS Oardacious, which is currently training for an Atlantic crossing. Behind it is an organization founded in 2019 to support submarine crews with mental health and well-being issues. The team’s actions raise money for charities that support military personnel and their families.
William has a video of the trip via his official Instagram account and posted on youtube. In the clip, the 40-year-old can be seen rowing while having an open conversation with the crew about mental health, such as anxiety. King Charles’ son said: “On the water we talked about everything from teamwork to food rations and what it takes to look after your mental health while rowing across the Atlantic”.
In the video, William also talks about what he learned about mental health during his time in the military: “I think in the military we’re good at bonding and realizing that the only way to get things done is with ourselves to help and support each other.” But he also agrees with a military member who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and explained to the prince that the illness went unnoticed by those around him as he continued to live normally and crack jokes. Regarding cracks in his own psyche, William replies, “We hide them well, don’t we?!”
In the comments to the video, the Prince is celebrated for bringing attention to HMS Oardacious. And puts himself in the background: A user notes that he has never heard the royal say “I” once, William has focused entirely on the other people. However, the prince will probably not row across the Atlantic with his interlocutors.