The Royal Family released a video to mark the International Day of the Nurse on Tuesday, featuring various members of the family talking to nurses throughout the Commonwealth.
The Queen, who only appears in an audio recording (believed to be the first time a record of her telephone calls has been publicly released), opens the video.
“This is rather an important day,” The Queen tells Professor Kathleen McCourt, President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. “They’ve obviously had a very important part to play recently.”
Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall then appear with a message to nurses as members of the Royal Family appear on screen, showing them chatting with nurses. “My family and I want to join in the chorus of thank yous to nursing and midwifery staff all over the country, and indeed, the world,” Prince Charles says.
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary people,” Camilla says. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then appear. “Thank you for everything you’re doing,” William says. Kate says, “A huge thank you from us all.”
Princess Anne and The Countess of Wessex then appear to say thank you. Princess Alexandra is featured in the main splash of royals but does not appear in the rest of the video.
On the video, several video calls with nurses from around the world are featured, including Australia, the Bahamas, Cyprus, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania, as well as the United Kingdom.
On Monday, Kate and Sophie took part in video calls with nurses in Australia, the Bahamas, Cyprus, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom. Princess Anne chatted with a nurse from Tanzania; William chatted with nurses at the Royal Marsden Trust, of which he is President.
Camilla’s video message was recorded as part of a message to two of her patronages: the Royal Naval Medical Service and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children Charity. Kate and Sophie’s calls were recorded with coordination from Nursing Now 2020, the campaign that calls Kate its patron. Princess Anne called a medical ship in Tanzania with the help of the Vine Trust, one of her patronages.
Princess Alexandra’s call, which was not recorded, was with the head of the Naval Nursing Service, as she is Patron of Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service.
“Thank you for all the hard work you do on a day-to-day basis,” Kate said during a call.
