Royal family rally to fight the global impact of coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the best and worst in people around the world. But when it comes to Britain’s royal family, we look at who has come out of top when it comes to their public actions and reactions to the crisis.
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From the Queen’s rousing speech, to Harry and Meghan’s LA flit, who gets the royal seal of approval for their effort during the pandemic and who gets sent to the Tower?
THE QUEEN
If anyone understands duty, it’s the Queen, who last weekend delivered the speech we all needed. At home in Windsor Castle, where she is isolating with Prince Philip, 98, the monarch, who turns 94 this month, invoked the Blitz spirit to give the nation and world hope. Piers Morgan declared it “the greatest speech of her life”.
She thanked frontline workers and recalled her first broadcast with Princess Margaret in 1940 to evacuees.
“Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones,” she said.
“But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do.
“While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour … We will succeed — and that success will belong to every one of us.
“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”
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To Australians she added the message, “while it can be difficult to remain hopeful in such challenging times, especially following the summer’s devastating bushfires and recent flooding, I am confident that the stoic and resilient nature of the Australian people will rise to the challenge.”
PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALL
Charles, 71, knows what it’s like to catch COVID-19, having contracted the virus and recovered. He has been in isolation in his home Birkhall in Balmoral, separated from Camilla, 72.
The couple reunited just in time for their 15th wedding anniversary this week. They have both been busy — Charles opened the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London by video link and Camilla joined the NHS Volunteer Army — some 750,000 Brits who have given their time to support the health service.
As president of the Royal Voluntary Service, she went to work calling the elderly to check in on them, speaking to Doris Winfield, 85.
Of the volunteers, Camilla said: “I salute each one of you — and thank you with all my heart.”
PRINCE WILLIAM AND CATHERINE, DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE
The busiest couple by far are William, 37, and Catherine, 38, who have been actively supporting frontline workers in the health service. Before the lockdown they visited an NHS call centre in London and then launched a government initiative to help boost the country’s mental health during the crisis.
“The last few weeks have been anxious and unsettling for everyone. We have to take time to support each other and find ways to look after our mental health,” they said.
They called two hospitals to thank staff and are using their Royal Foundation to urgently increase support for health workers.
Prince William also admitted he wanted to return to his former job as an air ambulance pilot to “do his bit”.
In lockdown in their Norfolk house, where they are homeschooling Prince George and Princess Charlotte, they have filled their Kensington Royal Instagram page with support for the NHS, including a video of George, Charlotte and Louis clapping to say thank you and a message from William to Prime Minister Boris Johnson wishing him a speedy recovery from the virus.
PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX
Meanwhile, Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, fled from Canada to LA, where they have been in lockdown, using the time to plan their new foundation.
Having been silent for some time, they released details on Tuesday, confirming it will be called Archewell and will include emotional support groups, education services and a website. They told the UK’s Telegraph newspaper that they want to “do something of meaning … something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.
“We look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right,” they stated.
PRINCE ANDREW AND SARAH, DUCHESS OF YORK
Following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Andrew, 60, stepped away from royal duties in November and has been keeping a low profile since.
He is in lockdown with ex-wife Sarah, 60, at their Windsor home and, it appears, also with Princess Eugenie, 30, and husband Jack Brooksbank, 33.
Sarah has been active in charity work — busy distributing food parcels to NHS workers, with her and Eugenie pictured receiving boxes of food.