QUEEN’S TRIBUTE TO NHS
shire, and on Friday made history by opening the new temporary NHS Nightingale hospital in East London via video link.
The facility was built in nine days by members of the armed forces from an empty conference centre at the EXCEL arena.
The palace was overcome with fear when the Prince of Wales revealed he had mild symptoms of the illness on March 22 and had held a face-to-face meeting with his mother just 10 days before.
Thankfully doctors confidently determined he was only infectious from
March 13 and ordered him to self-isolate for a week to recover. Both Charles, 71, and Prince William, 37, have made public statements concerning the virus as Britain looks set to be on lockdown for three months.
The Queen’s message will only be the fifth time she has addressed the nation in a special televised broadcast outside of Christmas during her reign.
Her Majesty has made three previous speeches to the country amid an atmosphere of crisis and grief, most recently after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002, ahead of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 and about the First Gulf War in 1991. Amid celebratory times, the Queen also made a TV address to mark her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Ratings experts say viewing figures for the broadcast could beat the record 32.3 million for England’s 1966 World Cup Final against West Germany.
Over 27 million watched the PM’S TV address, which was announced only hours before on March 23.
Broadcasters Audience Research Board TV ratings provider Overnights. tv said: “People are looking to the Queen for comfort as she is held in so much respect.
“The country is stuck in its homes, making viewing figures higher and people watching on apps and catch-up will increase numbers further.”