See Queen Elizabeth's Message of Thanks to Healthcare Workers: 'You're an Example to Us All'
Queen Elizabeth has sent a special “thank you” to healthcare workers around the world as they cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
The monarch, 93, wrote the message from Windsor Castle, where she is staying in relative isolation amid the crisis, to mark World Health Day. She praised all those working in the healthcare professions for their “selfless commitment and diligence” helping people in the U.K., the Commonwealth and beyond.
“In testing times, we often observe that the best of the human spirit come to the fore; the dedication to service of countless nurses, midwives and other health workers, in these most challenging of circumstances, is an example to us all,” she said.
The message was signed, “Elizabeth R.”
Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty
Today, on #WorldHealthDay, The Queen has sent a message to healthcare professionals across the Commonwealth and around the world, on behalf of The Royal Family. 🌍🏥 pic.twitter.com/AL2N08qnjE
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 7, 2020
The message, released on the Royal Family’s social media pages, was accompanied by pictures showing frontline workers who are tackling the virus, while a short film shows the Queen, her heir Prince Charles, and Prince William and Kate Middleton on various royal outings to health centers. Also included in the film was the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward, his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex and the monarch’s daughter Princess Anne. (Poignantly, the Queen’s husband of 72 years, Prince Philip, 98, is also included in the first image despite the fact he has retired from public life.)
The royal family meets many health professionals throughout the year as they go about their royal duties across the country and the Commonwealth of nations linked to the U.K.
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Her Majesty The Queen addresses the UK and the Commonwealth in a special broadcast recorded at Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/HjO1uiV1Tm
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 5, 2020
The message follows the Queen’s rare television address from the castle that aired on Sunday, she had praised doctors, nurses and care workers.
“I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times,” she said in her broadcast. “I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home, thereby helping to protect the vulnerable and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones.”
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources, donate to Direct Relief here.
