HELLO.. .THIS IS THE ROYAL FAMILY CALLING
THE Queen led members of her family in a royal first yesterday paying tributes to healthcare workers around the world.
Their video calls to nurses – including in Britain and the Commonwealth – marked International Nurses Day.
Her Majesty was joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Anne, the Countess of Wessex and Princess Alexandra.
Together they rolled out a virtual red carpet for the profession by making telephone or video calls to nurses in the UK, Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, the Bahamas, Cyprus, and Tanzania over the past few days.
They included what Buckingham Palace believes is the first ever audio recording of the 94-year-old monarch on the phone.
From Windsor Castle the Queen, who like all working members of the family has been forced to undertake official duties remotely during the virus lockdown, rang Professor Kathleen McCourt, president of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation.
Chorus
She expressed her admiration for the bravery and dedication of the nursing profession during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is rather an important day,” the Queen said, before agreeing that public recognition of the work of nurses was vital. “Yes, because they’ve obviously had a very important part to play recently.”
Kate spent much of Monday on joint calls with Sophie, Countess of Wessex to nurses in Sierra Leone, Australia, India, Malawi, the Bahamas, and British Army nurses in Cyprus.
She said: “I don’t know how you manage to do this and keep the show on the road despite the extra pressures you’re all under and the challenging conditions – it’s just shown how vital the role that nurses play across the world. You should be so proud of the work that you do.”
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall made their own contributions to a video message in support of the profession.
Charles, 71, said: “On this International Nurses’ Day my family and I want to join in the chorus of thank-yous to nursing and midwifery staff across the country and indeed the world.”
Camilla, 72, recorded messages of support for nurses from the Royal Naval Medical Service and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous
Children Charity, of which she is respectively Commodore-in-Chief and patron. She said: “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Kate and Sophie’s calls were set up by Nursing Now, a global campaign to raise the status and profile of nursing.
They dialled into a call with nurses in Queensland, Australia, who provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and spoke to nurses at the Aberdeen Women’s Centre in Sierra Leone and LV Prasad Eye Institute in India – both of which Sophie has previously visited.
They then spoke to HIV and maternal health nurses in Malawi, mental health nurses in the Bahamas, Army nurses in Cyprus, and paediatric nurses from the UK’s Evelina London Children’s Hospital and Community Services, of which The Duchess of Cambridge is patron.
Challenges
In Cyprus, British Army nurse Corporal David Thomas told them his ex-wife was back home in the UK looking after his children.
He said: “The kids are doing well. My ex-wife’s a school teacher so she is keeping them busy.” Sophie, 55, joked: “Be
‘Nurses have had a very important part to play recently’
careful: she’s about to be recruited.” And Kate, who has been home schooling Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, laughed: “I’d quite like her to come and help me out.”
On the calls, the royals chatted with nurses about the work they are doing and how they are coping with the pandemic.
Kate, who became patron of the Nursing Now campaign in February 2018, said in a letter to the organisation: “The crucial, and often unsung role that nurses play in global health care is needed now more than ever.
“In this, the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, healthcare workers are facing unprecedented challenges in the fight against the global pandemic. Often putting their lives at risk and separating from loved ones to protect them from harm, they are an inspiration to us all.
“We stand behind all nurses and commend their bravery.”
During the virus crisis, members of the Royal Family have become used to video conference calls but, although she is understood to be using Zoom to speak to family members, it was a step too far for the Queen yesterday.
Aides said it was her personal choice to stick with a telephone.
International Nurses Day takes place on Florence Nightingale’s birthday and this year is the 200th anniversary of her birth.