If you ever once considered the possibility that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would take part in a Zoom call and announce bingo numbers to nursing home residents, then this is a story for you!
On Wednesday the royal couple beamed into the Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff, Wales to announce bingo numbers for the residents there. It’s the latest in a series of calls by the couple to show their support for people during the coronavirus pandemic. They’ve also chatted with first responders, healthcare providers, frontline workers and vulnerable populations.
In the video, posted to the Kensington Royal social media accounts and on the Royal Family’s YouTube page, William and Kate took turns calling out bingo numbers.
“Catherine is going to pick the first ball,” William announced. Kate then reveals that it’s “five and eight, 58.”
“George would like this one,” Kate says. “Five and five, snake’s alive.”
“Two little ducks, number two,” William says. The nursing home residents start quacking at the reference.
“Eight and seven, 87,” Kate says. “Six and two, tickety-boo!”
After the game, William asked if they were doing okay at calling the numbers. One of the residents, Joan, said “Yes, very good. It wasn’t as good as it should’ve been,” causing everyone in the room to laugh.
Kate also spoke with a resident named Margaret who said she’d won one line on the bingo, with Kate saying, “Oh fantastic, well done!”
Kensington Palace said in a tweet that William and Kate have been making calls to care workers across the United Kingdom to thank them “for their tireless efforts as they continue to look after the most vulnerable in our society.”
Before the bingo game began, the royal couple spoke with the nursing home’s care workers with Kensington Palace saying they wanted to learn about “the impact of COVID-19 and the challenges that they have faced as a result of the pandemic.”
“Their Royal Highnesses also heard how the home has adapted to the current circumstances, including greater use of technology to allow residents to stay in touch with their families and friends.”
William told the group “if there’s hopefully some positivity that comes out of this horrendous time, it is that there’s a light shone on all of the wonderful things you all do and on the social care sector and it allows people to acknowledge, respect and appreciate everything that you are doing.”
