Youngest royals lead video tribute to healthcare workers
Princess Charlotte and Princes George and Louis have all made cards for their 'Granny Diana' to mark Britain's Mother's Day. Photo: AAP
Prince William and Kate Middleton have shared a rare video of their three children giving a round of applause for health and emergency workers battling the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
The clip – posted to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s 11 million Instagram followers on Friday morning (Australian time) – shows Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis side by side, clapping and smiling to show their thanks for those at the frontline in the battle against COVID-19 around the world.
“To all the doctors, nurses, carers, GPs, pharmacists, volunteers and other NHS staff working tirelessly to help those affected by #COVID19: thank you,” the post reads.
The video, which is part of a British social media campaign called “Clap for our carers”, is a rare glimpse of the three Cambridge siblings – six-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, who turns two in April.
The Cambridge family is believed to be in self-isolation at Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk, while Britain is in lockdown. The video is thought to have been shot in the garden there.
Britain is battling a devastating spread of coronavirus. On Friday (Australian time), its coronavirus death toll rose from 475 to 578, and there were 11,658 confirmed cases.
More ominously, the BBC reports that it was the first time COVID-19 deaths had risen by more than 100 in a single day.
Last weekend, Kate and William visited an NHS centre in south London to show their support for emergency workers, and highlight the work being done during the coronavirus pandemic.
They heard non-emergency calls to the centre had risen four-fold since the outbreak began – up to 25,000 a day across London alone. Emergency calls in Britain have also doubled to nearly 8000 a day.
Meanwhile, Prince William’s father, Prince Charles, 71, tested positive for the virus earlier this week. He is said to be suffering only minor symptoms and is in self-isolation in Scotland, with the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Queen and her 98-year-old husband, Prince Philip, are at Windsor Castle.
The 93-year-old monarch left London for her Easter break a week early after the British government said the spread of COVID-19 in the capital was weeks ahead of the rest of the country.
“It is likely the Queen will stay there [at Windsor Castle] beyond the Easter period,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.