Coronavirus: Prince Charles sends message of hope to Britons

Prince Charles has sent a message of hope to Britons, reassuring them coronavirus would pass as deaths reached 2352.

Prince Charles has sent a message of hope to Britons, describing the coronavirus pandemic as a “strange, frustrating and often distressing experience,’’ but reassuring them that it would end.

Charles, 71, who has recovered from coronavirus and emerged from isolation, said in his first address on Wednesday: “As a nation, we are faced by a profoundly challenging situation, which we are only too aware threatens the livelihoods, businesses and welfare of millions of our fellow citizens. None of us can say when this will end, but end it will. Until it does, let us all try and live with hope and, with faith in ourselves and each other, look forward to better times to come.’’

As Patron of @age_uk, The Prince of Wales shares a message on the Coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the older members of the community. pic.twitter.com/a6NEFPOtvQ

— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) April 1, 2020

Charles’ short isolation of seven days, after testing positive in Aberdeenshire when he came down with fever and a cough, was in line with UK government rules.

Clarence House said he could now take walks at Balmoral and that he would conduct business with his charities and his Duchy of Cornwall estate.

However the virus appears to have continued to spread throughout Westminster, with a fourth cabinet minister, Ben Wallace, revealing he has also been in self-isolation for the past week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his chief Adviser Dominic Cummings, health secretary Matt Hancock, Scottish secretary, Alister Jack, and England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, have either been diagnosed with coronavirus or are self isolating with coronavirus symptoms.

Queen Elizabeth held her weekly audience with Boris Johnson by phone after he came down with the virus. Picture: Buckingham Palace via AP.

Even the Downing Street photographer, Andrew Parsons, has coronavirus symptoms and experts say they believe as many as two million Londoners and one in 37 people across the UK may have already had the virus.

In the past 24 hours there were 563 deaths, bringing the total numbers of deaths to 2.352 with 29,474 people having serious enough symptoms to hospitalised.

Charles revealed that having contracted coronavirus with relatively mild symptoms, he still found himself in “no less a state of social distance and general isolation’’. He went into self-isolation at his Scottish residence, Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate. The Duchess of Cornwall is also self-isolating until the end of the week.

“As we are all learning, this is a strange, frustrating and often distressing experience when the presence of family and friends is no longer possible and the normal structures of life are suddenly removed,’’ said Charles.

”At such an unprecedented and anxious time in all our lives, my wife and I are thinking particularly of all those who have lost their loved ones in such very difficult and abnormal circumstances, and of those having to endure sickness, isolation and loneliness.’’

Charles, a patron of Age UK along with Camilla, who is the patron of Silverline, said their hearts went out to older people who are now experiencing great difficulty.

He added: “However, we also know that in every community up and down this land – where people of all ages are being affected by this virus – there are truly wonderful neighbours, individuals and groups of volunteers who are providing ceaseless care and attention to those most at risk and that all this network of selfless assistance is, in itself, helping to provide vital support and reassurance to the hard-pressed professional services.

“And at a time when doctors, nurses and all the vital ancillary staff that form the backbone of our remarkable NHS are increasingly under such enormous strain, and risk, as they battle heroically to save lives in intensive care centres and to contain, as much as possible, the spread of this virus, our thoughts and prayers are very much with those marvellous people whose extraordinary skills and utter, selfless devotion to duty and the care of their patients make us so very proud.’’

Meanwhile business secretary Alok Sharma said businesses were “ready to bounce back’’ and he promised ongoing government support.

He sent a firm message to the High Street banks to provide loans to small businesses, and urged that £22bn in business rates relief and £12bn to councils to distribute to local business “must reach businesses as quickly as possible’’.