The Duke of Sussex has spearheaded a new mental fitness tool aimed at helping the military with their well-being.
Former soldier Prince Harry, 35, appears in a video on HeadFIT.org, which has been designed to offer round-the-clock access to self-help tools to enhance mood, drive and confidence.
In a clip shared online, the Queen’s grandson, who is now living in Los Angeles after quitting as a working royal, urges members of the armed forces to train their ‘mind and body as one’.
Speaking about the project, which he has been working on for three years, the Duke explains: ‘We need you to be able to access that ten or fifteen per cent, something which can only be attained when you adopt a regular routine for training the mind and the body as a single unit. I know this to be true. It works for me.’
The Duke of Sussex, 35, has spearheaded a new mental fitness tool aimed at helping the military with their well-being. Pictured, in a previous video message
The project, led by Harry, was due to be unveiled in June but its launch was brought forward to help service personnal tackle new challenges during the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Today, when we talk about fitness, we don’t just mean how fast you can run or how much weight you can carry,’ Harry says in the footage.
‘This is about mental fitness, strength and resilience, not just while wearing a uniform, but for the rest of your life.
‘If you want to be truly fit, strong and healthy, you need to train your mind and body as one. Some people run, others swim, cycle or lift weights in order to be physically fit.
The Duke of Sussex was due to launch the tool in June, but the project has been unveiled early amid the coronavirus pandemic (pictured, the royal during a visit to Exercise Clockwork in Norway)
Speaking about the project, the royal said it was important military personnel trained ‘mind and body as one’, a practice he said he had been working on himself (pictured, Prince Harry at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan)
‘But what do you do to stay mentally fit? Think about what you can do to unlock your potential, and to perform at the highest level.’
HeadFIT has been developed in partnership with The Royal Foundation’s Heads Together campaign, the Ministry of Defence and King’s College London, with clinical advice from psychologist Dr Vanessa Moulton.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the joint Royal Foundation with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last year, but it was said at the time that there would be future collaboration on Heads Together.
Prince Harry and Meghan have since stepped away from the monarchy to pursue a life of personal and financial freedom in the US.
Prince Harry, who has been working on the project for three years) has long been vocal on his support for mental health services (pictured, with Meghan Markle, 38, at the launch of Shout, a free text messaging service which provides 24/7 support for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis)
Despite leaving the Royal Foundation with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last year, at the time it was said they could collaborate in the future on their joint project Heads Together (pictured, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, 38, and Prince William, 37, at a Heads Together event)
The duke’s military appointments, including his position as Captain General of the Royal Marines, have been put on hold for the next 12 months.
In a statement speaking about the launch today, Prince Harry said: ‘I’ve long believed the military community should lead the way for the rest of society.’
‘For too long we have been waiting for problems to arise and then reacting to them.
‘HeadFIT is a proactive approach to mental fitness, focusing on our own potential to increase our performance, using proven methods in sport science.
‘This is about optimisation of self. This is about being the best you can be.’
Prince Harry is currently living in Los Angeles with wife Meghan and their son Archie, who will celebrate his first birthday next month
Defence People and Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer stressed the importance of helping troops with their mental health during the coronavirus crisis.
‘We train our armed forces to be both physically fit and mentally fit,’ he said.
‘And right now mental resilience has never been more important as our defence community works tirelessly to support the UK’s public services during the coronavirus pandemic.’
The platform includes tools such as breathing exercises, body posture and relaxation techniques and was designed for all defence personnel from new recruits, long-serving personnel and veterans to civilian staff and those in uniform.