Tearful Prince William recalls sweet memory with Diana
Prince William will take listeners on a special walk down memory lane for a special festive episode of Apple Fitness’ ‘Time To Walk’ audio series.
By recording the podcast, William is hoping to encourage people to take a break and go for a walk for their mental wellbeing over the Christmas break. According to CNN, William is a fan of the series and approached Apple about collaborating on an episode. Episodes in the series range from between 25 to 40 minutes in length, and feature guests who go for a walk in a meaningful location and reflect on life’s lessons while sharing memories and experiences through stories, photos, and songs.
William recorded his walk earlier in the year, in the spring, and it sees him taking a stroll across his family’s 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. He begins the episode by contemplating his father’s love of walking and says that while growing up, Charles "used to try and force Harry and I out of the house the whole time", adding that "we weren't really having any of it."
He continued, "But now, as you get older, you appreciate it a lot more and you see it for what it is.”
The walk sees William walk past St. Mary Magdalene Church, where the royal family will attend a Christmas Day service later this month, and Anmer Hall, where he and Catherine live with their children.
William shared memories of the family’s annual Christmas day pilgrimage, describing Prince Phillip plowing ahead while "there'd be us at the back with little legs trying to keep up."
He also discussed the importance of keeping mentally fit, and described a moment during a 2013 event that “nearly knocked” him off his feet.
During a fundraising gala at Kensington Palace at which Jon Bon Jovi and Taylor Swift were guests, Swift turned to William during Bon Jovi’s performance and said, “Come on, William. Let's go and sing”. He continued, "To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I'm cringing at what happened next, and I don't understand why I gave in. But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, 'Come with me...' I got up like a puppy and went, 'Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. I'll follow you.'"
William describes walking towards the stage “in a trance” and desperately trying to recall the words to ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’. "Beneath my black tie, there was a lot of sweating going on. I felt like a swan, where I was trying to keep myself composed on the outside, but inside, the little legs are paddling fast," he said, adding that, "At times, when you're taken out of your comfort zone, you've got to roll with it.”
The episode includes musical selections, one of which was Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’, which William remembers Princess Diana playing in the car as she drove her sons back to boarding school.
Of the memory, William said, "Sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment. And my mother, she'd be driving along, singing at the top of her voice. And we'd even get the policeman in the car, he'd be occasionally singing along, as well."
Apparently William’s children have inherited the family’s love of music, with Charlotte’s faovurite song at the time of recording being ‘Waka Waka’ by Shakira. "Charlotte, particularly, is running around the kitchen in her dresses and ballet stuff and everything. She goes completely crazy with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing."
Three mental health charities were chosen by the Duke to receive a charitable donation from Apple - Shout in the UK, Crisis Text Line in the USA and Lifeline in Australia.
The episode concludes the show’s second season, and will drop for Fitness+ subscribers on Monday December 6. The company will also stream three free airings of the show on Apple Music 1, starting at 7 pm AEDST that same day.
Image: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images