Prince William Shares a 'Little Secret' on His Lockdown Activities

The Duke of Cambridge has secretly been volunteering for a mental crisis hotline
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 6, 2020 8:00 AM CDT
Updated Jun 6, 2020 8:15 AM CDT
Prince William Shares a 'Little Secret' on His Lockdown Activities
In this Nov. 21, 2019, file photo, Britain's Prince William arrives at the Tusk Conservation Awards in London.   (Toby Melville/Pool via AP, File)

It's hard to imagine what royal family members do during lockdown, but Britain's Prince William just filled us in on one of his activities. Per CNN, the Duke of Cambridge, along with wife Kate Middleton, brother Harry, and Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, helped start Shout, the UK's first 24/7 text-message crisis hotline, in May 2019. In a video call to Shout staffers last month, William revealed he's done more than just launch the endeavor. "I'm gonna share a little secret with you guys ... I'm actually on the platform volunteering," William confessed on the call, eliciting a proud clap from Middleton, sitting next to him.

William says he started helping man the hotline after being trained by the organization, reports the BBC, which notes the 2,000 or so volunteers all use a pseudonym when working the phones. The issues that callers are dealing with include everything from depression and anxiety to panic attacks and suicidal thoughts. Middleton, meanwhile, has been involved in a similar way, taking part in the National Health Service's Volunteer Responders service, which helps vulnerable or at-risk people who've been self-isolating during the coronavirus pandemic. (More Prince William stories.)

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