The Princess of Wales has opened up about finding peace amid a “very busy world” during a trip to the Lake District.
Princess Kate, 43, met Chief Scout Dwayne Fields as well as Scouts from Cumbria and Manchester near the shores of Lake Windermere last month. They’ve now released a short film discussing the importance of the natural world and its ability to support our health and wellbeing.
In it, Kate says she found it “very spiritual” to be reconnect with nature and discusses her “intense emotional reconnection” with the environment. The future queen, who is Joint President of the Scouts, is seen in the footage engaging with the youngsters as they undertake a challenge to earn their Naturalist Badge.
Speaking in the video, the Princess of Wales says: “Not everyone has that same relationship perhaps with nature, but it is so therefore meaningful for me as a place to balance and find a sort of sense of peace and reconnection in what is otherwise a very busy world.”
Kate adds: “I think it’s really important for young people to have access to nature because it’s a space where they can push themselves, they can challenge themselves, they learn leadership skills, spend time making friends and those life-long really great memories that we all hold onto.”
The royal and Dwayne also talk, in the clip, about how spending time in nature can help people to deepen connections with themselves and each other while building skills of empathy, resilience and a sense of belonging. The two also discuss the impact being in nature can have on young people in building their confidence and skills for later life.
The Scouts regularly enable 450,000 young people to engage with and experience wellbeing in nature, a cause which is very close to The Princess’ heart. Taking part in camping, hiking, canoeing and climbing gives young people the ability to develop their team working, leadership and planning skills and helps them become more resilient and supportive of each other.
Reflecting on the film, Dwayne told reporters: “In an increasingly complex world digital technology has its place, but the few hours we spent in the hills without screens was magical: we are often at our best in the outdoors, and I want more young people to experience outdoor adventures like this for themselves.
“Outdoor adventures can build the vital skills young people need for the rest of their lives, they hugely benefit health and wellbeing, and boost friendships. And with the help of more adult volunteers, we hope to get more young people out into nature in the future.”
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