HELLO, THIS IS WINDSOR ON SCREEN!
With a new sign-in, the Queen joins her first video conference call ...and Anne’s there too
‘She really took it in her stride’
EVEN at 94, it seems there is nothing that can faze her.
For the Queen has joined millions embracing the latest technology in lockdown by taking part in her first public video conference.
From the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, she took part in a group call with members of Carers Trust including her daughter Princess Anne, its president.
Yesterday Buckingham Palace released footage of the historic moment the Queen – or Windsor UK, as she was identified onscreen, possibly in reference to her family name – mastered the new method of communication.
She joined the Princess Royal – aka PR onscreen – who was at her Gatcombe Park home, to highlight the ‘invisible army’ of seven million unpaid carers who help look after family and friends.
One of the carers, Nadia Taylor, 44, from London, revealed she was not told the Queen would be joining them until the afternoon before the call on Wednesday last week – in order to ‘spare our nerves’.
Mrs Taylor, who cares for her mother, father, husband and one of her two children, all of whom have challenging medical conditions, said: ‘It was incredibly exciting. I have to say it came as quite a shock.
But what a wonderful surprise. There was a picture of the outside of Windsor Castle for a few seconds on the screen and then she came in. Apart from it being an incredible honour, it was such wonderful idea to ask us to share our stories and hear something about the challenges we face. I personally found it very moving.
‘She is quite formal in the way she speaks but I was struck about how warm she was. I felt a great sincerity coming from her, as well as the Princess Royal. The Queen called us extraordinary, which was very lovely. I think she was trying to send a message that “I’m still here, I haven’t forgotten the nation and those most in need”.’
Gareth Howells, chief executive of Carers Trust, which was set up by Anne in 1991, said it had been a surreal moment when the Queen joined the call, set up to promote Carers Week this week. ‘The Palace wanted to follow formal etiquette in that Her Majesty would be the last to come into a room and the first to leave,’ he said. ‘There were definitely nerves, as you can imagine. Prior to the royals joining, Her Majesty’s private secretary called to set up their end. He came on a little while later and turned the video on and said to the Princess Royal: “Your Royal Highness, Her Majesty the Queen is ready to join the call”. And then she became visible.
‘It was an amazing moment. For the carers on the call to have the opportunity to share their stories was just remarkable.’
Alexandra Atkins, 24, from Swansea, who began caring for her mother and father aged eight, said: ‘To find out the day before that the Queen would be there made me wonder if I had gone to another planet. We were actually going to be part of history. 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. It hit me that I was sitting in my bedroom talking to the Princess Royal and the Queen.’
As she left the call, the Queen smiled broadly from the Oak Room – part of her rarely seen private apartments at Windsor – and said: ‘It’s been interesting listening to all your tales and stories. I’m very impressed by what you have achieved already. I’m very glad to be able to join you today.’