Carers Speak to the Queen in Monarch’s First Live Video Chat

The Queen joined a group of carers for her first ever official video conference call. Her Majesty, 94, was one of seven who joined the live chatroom, organised as part of Carers Week. Joined by her daughter Princess Anne, the Queen heard about the difficulties and isolation unpaid carers have faced during the coronavirus pandemic.

Carer Alexandra Atkins, 24, said: “It hit me that I was sitting in my bedroom talking to the Queen.”

‘Extraordinary’

Ms Atkins, from Swansea, who has been a carer to her family for 16 years, described chatting with royalty as “unreal”.

“What was really nice was that, while you could tell she had never done that kind of call for work before, she really took it in her stride,” she said.

The Queen praised the four carers for their “extraordinary” work after logging in online from the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, Berkshire.

In a video released on the monarchy’s Twitter account, the Queen told her fellow conference callers it was “interesting” to be “listening to all your tales and stories”. “I’m very impressed by what you have achieved already,” she said. “I’m very glad to have been able to join you today.”

The monarch was last to join the call and first to leave - a formal etiquette of royal engagements that Buckingham Palace decided to preserve.

Nadia Taylor, 44, from London, who has been caring for more than two decades, said: “The call was about 45 minutes and the Queen was on for about 20 minutes of that.

“We talked about how we are all coping in the current climate with COVID-19.

“I explained to her how much more isolated carers are at the moment.

“The Queen asked questions about how we all coped and called us extraordinary, which was very lovely.”

The call took place on 4 June. Carers Week takes place between 8 and 14 June this year.