One’s first Zoom! The Queen takes part in a video call from Windsor Castle as she joins Princess Anne in marking Carers Week with virtual messages of thanks
- The Queen took part in a video call from Windsor Castle to mark Carers Week
- Her Majesty, 94, joined Princess Anne in thanking four carers for their work
- First time the Queen has taken part in a video call since the start of lockdown
The Queen has taken part in her first public video call to mark Carers Week alongside her daughter Princess Anne.
The Queen, 94, joined the Princess Royal, 69, on a group video call with four carers living across the UK to hear more about their experiences and the pressures they face.
The Queen spoke from a sitting room at Windsor Castle, where she has been in joint isolation with her husband Prince Philip since the start of lockdown in March.
The Queen, 94, joined Princess Anne in thanking four carers to mark the week and heard about their experiences. Pictured, the Queen on the video call from Windsor Castle
In a clip shared on Twitter from the June 4 call, the Queen is heard saying: ‘Interesting listening to all your tales and stories. I’m very impressed by what you have achieved already. I’m very glad to have been able to join you today.’
Princess Anne, patron of the Carers Trust, phoned in from her country home of Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire.
The Queen and Princess Anne heard from Alex, Amna, Mary and Nadia, who are all the primary carers for family members, about the different roles that carers have to play, and the challenge of juggling their own physical and mental health with that of their loved ones.
Nadia Taylor, 44, of London, who looks after her mother, father, husband and her daughter, said the Queen spoke for about 20 minutes.
She said: ‘The call was about 45 minutes and the Queen was on for about 20 minutes of that. She asked us all questions.
‘We talked about how we are all coping in the current climate with Covid-19. I explained to her how much more isolated carers are at the moment.
‘Many don’t have laptops or tablets and feel very cut off. A lot of the appointments – doctors, hospitals etc – we need need have been cancelled.
‘The Queen asked questions about how we all coped and called us extraordinary, which was very lovely.’
There are approximately 7 million unpaid carers in the UK, and with vulnerable members of society currently shielding at home, many carers have taken on new responsibilities.