Prince William turned into the ultimate football fanboy when he spoke to Arsenal superstar Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang recently. The Duke of Cambridge advised the sports star, whose contract will end next season, to sign up with his beloved team, the Aston Villa.
The royal took a moment to joke with Aubameyang by telling him that he hopes the athlete is on his favorite team next season. He quipped that he needed to say that out loud just in case the football star is still weighing his options.
The Duke of Cambridge's comments drew laughter from the other players he was speaking with for his mental health campaign. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta was also in the video chat and was laughing along with the others, while waving a warning finger at the Duke of Cambridge.
The playful jab happened when Prince William touched base with the Premiere League on Thursday. He wanted to help the athletes prepare as the FA Cup Final will restart next week.
Turning serious, however, Prince William said that some of the players might experience mental health challenges going back to their game after more than 10 weeks in lockdown. He said that this is a moment for the league to "promote good, positive mental health" not only for the players but also for the fans.
The men discussed the things that they can do for their teammates, their fans and even their family. Aubameyang said that he believes it is important to create a safe place for them talk and discuss their struggles.
Meanwhile, a few days before his call to the athletes, Prince William was also on the phone to some NHS staff working in Critical Care at the Aintree. Prince William thanked and praised the frontline workers for their valuable efforts during this pandemic. He also took a moment to take a virtual selfie with the hospital staff.
The hospital's chief said that the call was actually a surprise. The team was not aware that Prince William wanted to talk to them and his gesture of acknowledging the workers has been a morale booster.
It's been more than three months since the world has to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. While hospitals are no longer overwhelmed, the virus is still there and cases could still increase for the second wave thus public health officials continue to be on guard and advise the public to take the necessary health precautions.
