Prince William donates £5,000 as 'William Wales' to back veteran's ocean row

The Prince of Wales, Prince William, donated £5,000 to Rock2Recovery in support of former Royal Marine Dave 'Dinger' Bell.

The donation was listed under the name 'William Wales', as reported by HELLO!. It went to Bell's fundraising effort after his long solo row for the organisation.

Bell is from Bere Regis in Dorset. He completed a solo, unsupported row across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

He spent 327 days at sea without setting foot on land. That is almost eleven months alone in the boat.

Bell set off from the west coast of Peru on 9 November, according to the BBC. He carried 350 days' worth of food for the crossing.

The scale was stark. One man. One small boat. Two oceans.

Rock2Recovery supports veterans and emergency service personnel affected by PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. The group describes its fundraising rowing mission as 'ONE MAN. ONE BOAT. ONE YEAR. TWO OCEANS' to raise awareness and funds for its work.

The charity's website says it offers coaching face to face and online for military communities, veterans and their close family members, and Blue Light workers living with the effects of stress. It says clients from funded sources receive unlimited coaching, while other eligible people receive six hours free of charge.

What makes this stand out is the signature. William Wales is the name Prince William used during his own military service. He used it here, not his title.

The Prince of Wales is often linked with military and veterans' causes. Prince William served in the Armed Forces. Bell served as a Royal Marine.

The £5,000 gift puts a well-known donor behind a gruelling personal challenge. For Bell, it caps a voyage that tested endurance day after day. For Rock2Recovery, it brings wider attention to its support for those living with stress and trauma.