Prince William and Kate Middleton had to cover up a recent royal engagement to avoid clashing with Queen Elizabeth. Before the coronavirus lockdown, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited an NHS center in London. The engagement coincided with a statement released by Queen Elizabeth, and royal experts say the Cambridges kept the visit low-key to prevent it from overshadowing Her Majesty.
Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton’s secret NHS visit
Days before the UK announced a lockdown, William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, visited an NHS center in London. The pair met with frontline workers and offered their support amid the current crisis.
A few days later, the Cambridges posted about their visit onInstagram. The couple shared a photo of themselves meeting with some of thestaffers at the facility and praised them for their hard work.
“Catherine and I were proud to visit staff working at NHS111, to pass on our personal thanks, along with those of my grandmother andfather, to staff working around the clock to provide care and advice to thosethat need it most,” Prince William captioned the pic.
William added that the NHS is doing its best to prevent thespread of the coronavirus in the UK. He also assured fans that frontlineworkers need as much support as anyone during the crisis.
While it was great to see Prince William and Kate supporting medical workers, they were reportedly forced to delay the coverage of their visit to avoid conflicting with Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Elizabeth’s statement conflicts with the Cambridges’ event
When scheduling engagements, the royals normally do their best toavoid conflicting events. But during a crisis, it can be difficult tocoordinate visits with important government announcements.
Such was the case with Queen Elizabeth’s recent message to thenation amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Express, Chris Ship andLizzie Robinson of ITV News revealed that Her Majesty released the statementaround the same time as Prince William and Kate’s visit.
“Kate and William’s visit happened last Thursday but wecouldn’t report on it until last Friday,” Robinson shared. “If youremember last Thursday was the day that the Queen gave her message ofsolidarity to the nation. I think the timing was so important. If they had putout the Kate and William visit that day, there could have been a realclash.”
Robinson added that the royals did not want Prince William and Kate’s visit to “overshadow” the Queen’s message. Instead of creating a conflict in the media, the royals kept the Cambridges’ visit low-key.
Queen Elizabeth is staying at Windsor Castle with Prince Philipuntil the coronavirus pandemic is under control. Her Majesty will likelyrefrain from speaking in public until the crisis is over, though she might makean appearance if things get any worse.
Kate Middleton and Prince William step up
With the UK under lockdown and the royals in self-isolation,William and Kate have increased their visibility to the public. According to Express,royal experts believe William will become a “placeholder” for HerMajesty until the coronavirus pandemic is over.
“He’s third-in-line to the throne and in robust health likehis brother, and COVID-19 is unlikely to be any serious threat for him or hiswife or children. He will do a great job,” royal author Nigel Hawthorneshared.
To that end, Prince William and Kate recently shared photos of their behind-the-scenes work. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge posted two shots of them working inside their home at Kensington Palace, offering a rare look into their private lives.
The two used the photos to raise awareness about mental healthduring the crisis. They are currently working with several charitableorganizations in the field and want to ensure that everyone is doing their partto support each other.
William is third in line to the throne and will inherit the crown after his father, Prince Charles. Given William’s standing within the ranks of the royal family, it makes sense that Queen Elizabeth would rely on him to be her “placeholder.”
William and Kate under lockdown
Although Prince William and Kate Middleton are still workingbehind closed doors, the UK is currently under lockdown. According to People,Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently released new rules in a bid to preventthe spread of the coronavirus.
“From this evening I must give the British people a verysimple instruction — you must stay at home,” Johnson stated. “Becausethe critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading betweenhouseholds.”
Businesses that do not sell essential items will be closed for anextended time. People are also prohibited from appearing in public in groups oftwo or more individuals (outside of immediate family).
The UK has also canceled upcoming weddings and baptisms, a move that might affect Princess Beatrice’s upcoming wedding. For those who do not abide by the rule, Johnson warned that police officers will be doling out fines.
William and Kate are currently in self-isolation at their country estate, Anmer Hall. The couple is with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The royals have not commented on Prince William and KateMiddleton’s recent visit to the NHS center in London.
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