The British Royal Family marked the International Nurses Day

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Duchess of Cambridge and The Royal Family marked the International Nurses day
The Royal Family

The British Royal Family paid a lovely tribute to the Nurses around the world on International Nurses Day. To mark the Day, Queen Elizabeth II led a Royal Tribute to the Nurses in which she was joined by The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Royal, The Countess of Wessex and Princess Alexandra. International Nurses Day takes place annually on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, 12 May, to highlight the vital work done by health staff each day. 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.

 

Palace released a joint video call in which along with the Queen, seven members of the Royal Family are speaking with healthcare professionals working in Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bahamas, Cyprus, Tanzania and the UK. All seven countries are members of the Commonwealth of which the Queen is Head. The day was set to be celebrated with monumental celebrations but due to the Coronavirus, the public has been asked to highlight the occasion by shining a light from their windows at 8.30 pm on International Nurses Day.

The British Royal Family celebrated International Nursing Day
The Royal Family

On the calls, Members of The Royal Family spoke with nurses about the work they are doing, with many talking about the impact of Covid-19 and how they were coping with the pandemic. I believe it is the first time we are listening to the Queen’s telephonic conversation. After the greetings, the video started with Queen saying,

“This is rather an important day…… because they have obviously had a very important part to play recently.”

On each call, members of The Royal Family reiterated their thanks to nurses across the Commonwealth for the incredible work they do on a daily basis. Nurses and midwives make up half the global health care workforce and play a critical role in health promotion, disease prevention and delivering primary community care.

Queen Elizabeth II led the royal family to pay tribute to the nurses around the globe
The Royal Family

The Royal Family have numerous nursing affiliations and Patronages. Her Majesty has links – as Royal Patron or President – with over 600 organisations which include the Canadian Nurses Association, Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps, Royal College of Nursing and The Queen’s Nursing Institute. Palace said,

On International Nurses Day, The Queen spoke with Professor Kathleen McCourt, the President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing, of which The Queen is Patron.

The Duchess of Cambridge became the Nursing Now Campaign in February 2018. Yesterday, Nursing Now helped facilitate calls with The Duchess of Cambridge and The Countess of Wessex to nurses in seven different Commonwealth countries, including Aberdeen Women’s Centre (AWC) in Sierra Leone.

Duchess of Cambridge joined by Countess of Wessex for a video call
The Royal Family

Both the Royal ladies spoke with nurses and medical staff in Queensland, Australia, India, Malawi, The Bahamas, Cyprus and The UK. During the joint video call, Duchess told the Australian nurses, “Would like to hear what is going on the grounds?” This is not the first time we are seeing Catherine and Sophie working together. They both hosted a reception to celebrate Commonwealth Fashion Exchange at Buckingham Palace in 2018. I hope we will see them working together more in future too.

The Royal Family

Kensington Palac said, “Their Royal Highnesses dialled into a call with nurses in Queensland, Australia who provide culturally appropriate services to local 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 The Countess of Wessex has previously visited”.

Duchess of Cambridge joked during the Video call
The Royal Family

From People’s report,

Meanwhile, in Cyprus, where Kate visited servicemen and women before Christmas in 2018 with husband Prince William, the pair spoke with nurses from the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps. Sophie, 55, is Colonel-in-Chief of that regiment.

“Is everyone worried about their families and their loved ones back home? It must be adding to the pressure,” Kate asked the military nurses in Cyprus.

When they asked how families were doing amid the lockdown, one of the nurses told them that a family member is a teacher, so she’s “quite busy.”

“Be careful, she’s about to be recruited,” Sophie, who like Kate is helping homeschooling her kids, joked.

Kate then replied with a laugh, “I’d like her to come and help me out!”

Duchess thanked the nurses saying,

“Thank you for all the hard work you do on a day-to-day basis”

Duchess of Cambridge thanked the nurses around the globe on International Nursing day
The Royal Family

Catherine and Sophie spoke with the Apollo Hospital in India, 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. Duchess of Cambridge also wrote a letter of support to Nursing Now thanking for the campaign and showing her solidarity with nurses around the world during these particularly challenging times, and committing to support the nursing profession into the future.

The Duchess of Cambridge wrote a letter to nursing now

The palace statement said,

The Prince of Wales has supported the vital work of our nurses too. In July 2019, The Prince launched the Royal College of Nursing which gives young members of uniformed organisations an introduction to a potential career in nursing. Prior to that, in 2018, Charles also hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate frontline nursing in the UK. Marking the day,   The Duchess of Cornwall marked International Nurses Day by writing a letter of support to nurses supported by Ronald Dahl’s Marvellous Children Charity, of which she became Patron of in 2017.

Prince Charles of Wales paid tribute to the nurses around the world
The Royal Family

Over the week, The Duke of Cambridge spoke to nurses at The Royal Marsden of which he is President. Over the weekend Princess Royal called Tanzania to speak with the Programme Manager of a medical ship that provides facilities for those with little or no access to medical care and is supported by the Vine Trust of which Her Royal Highness is Patron.

Princess Alexandra, The Queen’s cousin, spoke to the head of the Naval Nursing Service in her role as Patron of Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service. Her Royal Highness has long-held associations with numerous medical charities including The Florence Nightingale Foundation, St Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham and The British Red Cross Society. Since becoming Royal Parton of St Christopher’s Hospice in 1881, Princess Alexandra has visited every year since 1982 including in February 2020 to spend time with patients, their families and dedicated staff and volunteers.

Other members of The Royal Family such as The Duke and Duchess of Kent and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have proudly supported numerous medical charities such as the Royal Army Medical Corps, Medical Women’s Federation, The Royal Society of Medicine and St Leonard’s Hospice.

Duchess of Cambridge and Coutness of Wessex together during a video call
The Royal Family

From ITV’s report,

Kate and Sophie, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex, teamed up to get in touch with nurses in Australia, Sierra Leone, India, Malawi, the Bahamas, Cyprus and the UK.

Sophie said the nurses in Australia: “I hope you are feeling some of the love as well.”

The Countess of Wessex said to nurses in the UK: “People forget you are doing this on a daily basis – you are caring for people day in day out.”

While Kate said to a team of nurses in The Bahamas: “It’s just showing how vital the role that nurses play across the world so you should be so proud of the work that you do.”

And Princess Anne spoke with nurses in Tanzania.

“We can be part of the celebration,” said the Princess Royal to the programme manager of a medical ship in the country which provides healthcare to people who can’t usually get access to it.

The video ends with a video messages from Prince Charles saying: “Thank you all so much for the diligence and the courage and that you have shown.”

The joint effort by seven members of the Royal Family – all working remotely from their various homes – is very rare.

Duchess of Cambridge wore Altuzarra Aimee Polka-Dot Button-Front Dress for a video call marking International Nurses day
The Royal Family

For the video call, Duchess of Cambridge was wearing her Altuzarra Aimee Polka-Dot Button-Front Dress that she wore during an engagement promoting for Back to School Campaign in September 2016.

Altuzarra Aimee Polka-Dot Button-Front Dress
Altuzarra Aimee Polka-Dot Button-Front Dress

and her Patrick Mavros Ocean Tides Milky Quartz Earrings that she first wore in the video call to midwives and Medical experts during the Maternal health week.

Duchess of Cambridge wore Patrick Mavros Ocean Tides Milky Quartz Earrings
Patrick Mavros Ocean Tides Milky Quartz Earrings

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