Prince William discusses his past mental health struggles

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Prince William sent royal fans into a frenzy as he announced a collaboration with Apple. The Duke of Cambridge penned a string of tweets on Friday to announce he will appear on a special festive episode of Time To Walk – an audio walking experience designed to encourage people to walk more often for their mental and physical wellbeing.  

The Duke of Cambridge tweeted: “Walking has been a feature of my life during the good times and the bad, come rain or shine.

“For me, it provides an opportunity to clear my mind and gain some perspective. It’s a key part of how I manage my mental health.

“It can be a very sociable exercise or a moment of complete calm and isolation. 

“In the hope of inspiring a few other people to get active and take time for their own mental health – I wanted to share a few of my stories and favourite songs with you in an episode of Time to Walk.

“This experience means even more to me knowing that three great mental health charities: Give Us A Shout, Crisis TextLine and Lifeline Australia will receive donations to help continue the important work they’re doing to provide 24/7 support to those in need.”

To stress he was the person who penned the message shared by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Twitter account, William signed it off with a “W”.

The special programme will drop on Monday, December 6, on Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music 1.  

Time to Walk, launched in January, normally features celebrities or influential people walking to a place close to their heart while sharing important memories, life experiences and lessons learned through stories, photos and songs. 

Prince William’s walk will take him through the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, beloved by the Queen, late Prince Philip and the Cambridge family.

During his episode, the Duke will walk from Sandringham house, past St Mary Magdalene Church where the royals attend together the Christmas Day service and Anmer Hall, William and Kate’s Norfolk home.

Prince William’s decision to donate the proceeds to three mental health charities comes as he recognises how difficult and lonely the Christmas period can be for many. 

Both Crisis (for US-based users) and Shout (for UK-based users) offer free, confidential and around the clock support via text for people struggling with their mental health. 

Lifeline provides free, 24/7 confidential support and suicide prevention services for people based in Australia.

Many Twitter users welcomed William’s involvement in the Time To Walk programme.

A social media fan account for the Duke and Duchess, called The Cambridges, wrote: “This is such a great idea that will benefit those charities and so many people around the world! 

“Another amazing project from our Duke of Cambridge to make all of us proud.” 

Another Twitter user, @enkienkiiii, said: “You’re amazing!! Truly inspirational. Can’t wait for this.”

Similarly, @monamm2175 wrote: “Another great initiative supported by #PrinceWilliam”. 

Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, have been vocal advocates over the past years of how beneficial it is to mental and physical well-being to spend time outdoor. 

With his brother Harry, William has been at the forefront of the battle to break the stigma surrounding people affected by mental health issues and has spearheaded several initiatives – including Heads Together and HeadsUp. 

In 2019, the Sussexes and the Cambridges launched together Shout.  

On the 20th anniversary of the death of their mother, the royal brothers candidly spoke about the impact losing their mother when they were only children had on them. 

More recently, the Duke of Sussex also opened up on his struggles as a member of the Royal Family constantly under the spotlight and his strained relationship with the Firm in the mental health series he co-created with Oprah Winfrey for Apple TV+ – The Me You Can’t See. 

Prince William’s audio collaboration with Apple also comes 12 months after Meghan and Prince Harry announced their deal with Spotify. 

The couple has so far released only one episode, in late December 2020, of the announced Archewell Audio podcast. 

In it, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reflected on how difficult 2020 had been for the world and shared a collection of personal anecdotes and inspirational stories from a variety of famous guests – including singer Sir Elton John and producer Tyler Perry. 

Moreover, the podcast ended with a special appearance of their son Archie Harrison, who joined his parents in wishing listeners a happy new year. 

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