Princess of Wales reveals 'intense emotional connection' on secret visit

The cinematic video, released by Kensington Palace, showed the Princess meeting new Chief Scout, Dwayne Fields, for the first time on a walk, near the shores of Lake Windermere.

Looking relaxed in Fields' company, the Princess told him: “I find it a very spiritual and very intense emotional re-connection I suppose, these environments.

"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 re-connection in what is otherwise a very busy world.”

The Princess of Wales previously revealed the sanctuary she found in nature while undergoing treatment for cancer last year.

Kensington Palace said Her Royal Highness and the Chief Scout discussed how spending time in nature can help deepen connections, while building empathy skills, resilience and a sense of belonging.

The Princess, who moved from London to Windsor in 2022 so her children had better access to outside space, also discussed how nature can help young people build confidence and skills for later life.

After the private walk, the Princess and Fields joined a group of Scouts, aged between 10 and 15, from Cumbria and Greater Manchester, as they studied maps to earn their Naturalist Badge.

Her Royal Highness, who was not wearing Scout uniform, crouched down on the forest floor, huddled with the children, and pointed out landmarks on a large paper map.

She said: "It's so beautiful because so many of the walks here you can see Lake Windermere because it's huge, isn't it? Look how hilly it is over here."

The Princess later said: "What's so fantastic about the Scouts is that the same foundations that have always been there and still, you know, despite how different the modern day world is now...actually, it still resonates with so many young people and it's making such a massive difference to them."

The special film featured a varied montage of nature shots, from close-ups of leaves, to panoramic mountainous landscapes.

Reflecting on meeting the Princess of Wales, Fields said: “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."

Fields, who has been Chief Scout for seven months, has called upon more British people to volunteer with Scouts: “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."

450,000 young people's wellbeing is supported through Scouts by exposing them to nature, as well as developing team work, leadership and planning skills.

The Princess of Wales, who is not currently undergoing public engagements due to her children's Easter holidays, became Joint President of Scouts in 2020.

The film for Kensington Palace was filmed on the Princess of Wales's secret visit to the Lake District last month, which was not recorded in the Court Circular.