The Duke of Cambridge revealed he knew how it felt to "put a brave face on," as he paid tribute to frontline workers during a video message. In the clip posted on Our Frontline's Twitter account on Tuesday, Prince William said: "I want to say a huge thank you from myself and Catherine for all you are doing to keep everyone safe."
WATCH: Prince William pays tribute to frontline workers
READ: Kate Middleton and Prince William make a big change to their Instagram account
He continued: "You and your families are making huge sacrifices, and we want you to know that the whole country is enormously proud of you. The challenges you are facing, day in, day out, are unprecedented. Even in normal circumstances, frontline work can take its toll not just on your physical health, but also on your mental wellbeing."
The Duke and Duchess backed the new platform, Our Frontline, as it launched in April, which brings together a number of services to provide workers with round-the-clock one-to-one support.
The royal father-of-three relayed his experiences as a search-and-rescue pilot as he urged frontline workers to seek help if they needed it, saying: "From my time with the air ambulance, I know all too well how determined frontline workers are to put a brave face on and keep going. When you spend all day taking care of others it is easy to forget that you need to take care of yourself too. But it's OK to say when you're not feeling OK. There is support available to you, if and when you need it."
MORE: Prince William and Kate Middleton's radio broadcast to mark Mental Health Awareness Week
William on his first shift with the East Anglia Air Ambulance in 2015
William worked as a pilot for East Anglian Air Ambulance for over two years until July 2017. Speaking at the This Can Happen conference in 2018, which aimed to address mental health issues at work, he said the experience of attending traumatic emergencies involving children and having his own children "took me over the edge", but speaking to his crew helped him cope with the "enormous sadness" he had witnessed.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that the Duke had given permission for air ambulances to use a private lawn at Kensington Palace for refuelling during the coronavirus pandemic, saving helicopters 45-mile round trips to the nearest base in Watford. William became patron of London's Air Ambulance Charity in March after supporting its 30th anniversary campaign in 2019.
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