Heir we go as Duke joins in
The Duke of Cambridge was on the ball during a visit to Spartans FC’S Ainslie Park in Edinburgh, where he heard about mental health initiatives
Prince William has begun a week-long visit to Scotland less than a day after heavily criticising the BBC.
Having castigated the BBC for its failings in the handling of his mother’s Panorama interview, the prince was in more relaxed mood yesterday as he visited Ainslie Park in Edinburgh, home of Spartans FC, where he spoke to players before showing off his football skills on the pitch.
The Earl of Strathearn was joined by grassroots players from Scotland’s Mental Health Football and Wellbeing League and former Scotland striker Steven Thompson.
The league was set up to support recovery and tackle stigma associated with mental health.
The future king, who is president of England’s Football Association, also chatted to footballers from the UK’S four national teams during a video call which featured England star Harry Kane.
In the stands, William spoke to members of the Scottish FA'S board and the Mental Health Advisory Panel it helped establish and told them: "Young men are really susceptible to serious mental health issues and more likely to bottle it up and not talk about it."
He added: "Both of you are good listeners. That's where it starts from."
The duke went on to say: "Lockdown has tested everyone in ways we didn't think they would and taken away coping mechanisms to get through it, it's quite difficult."