Prince William says that not having perfect vision actually helps him manage his anxiety when it comes to public speaking! As People reports, a new look at William's upcoming BBC documentary on soccer and mental health titled Football, Prince William, and Our Mental Health was released by the BBC. In the clip, William talks about how he works through his anxiety prior to speaking engagements.
William on public speaking without vision aid: "it's just a blur of faces"
William mentions the fact that his declining vision means that he has difficulty seeing while addressing the public. "My eyesight started to tail off a little bit as I got older, and I didn’t use to wear contacts when I was working, so actually when I gave speeches I couldn’t see anyone’s face," he explains. However, William reveals that this actually makes him less anxious!
"And it helps, because it’s just a blur of faces and because you can't see anyone looking at you — I can see enough to read the paper and stuff like that — but I couldn’t actually see the whole room," William shared. "And actually that really helps with my anxiety."
William talks emotional struggles of fatherhood with former athlete
William also opens up about fatherhood in the documentary with former soccer player Marvin Sordell. As People mentions, in another preview of the documentary that was released online via the Kensington Royal Instagram, Sordell is seen opening up to William about his struggles.
He reveals that his becoming a father "was the hardest time in my life. You know, I found it really tough . . . I grew up without my father . . . I really struggled with my emotions at that time."
The royal is shown to be empathetic towards Sordell, sharing his own personal understanding of the difficulty of becoming a father after growing up with a parent not present. "Having children is the biggest life-changing moment, it really is," William said.
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"I think when you’ve been through something traumatic in life, and that is like you say, your dad not being around, my mother dying when I was younger, the emotions come back, in leaps and bounds."
Football, Prince William, and Our Mental Health premieres on the BBC on May 30.
