Prince William has personally called 300 NHS staff since the start of the year

Rebecca Taylor
·Royal Correspondent
·3-min read

Watch: Prince William has called 300 NHS staff and volunteers since January.

Prince William has called 300 members of NHS staff and volunteers since the beginning of the year – an average of more than three every day.

The Duke of Cambridge has made 62 calls since 1 January – some one-on-one and some with groups – to a range of NHS employees across the UK.

Kensington Palace said he wanted to "check in on the wellbeing of all those supporting the NHS, and to thank them for the vital part they are playing in the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic".

One of the most recent calls was to Dr Thelma Craig, a respiratory consultant at the Mater Hospital in Belfast, on 17 March.

EMBARGOED TO 2230 TUESDAY APRIL 6 Undated handout photo issued by Kensington Palace of the Duke of Cambridge making a series of telephone calls to personally thank NHS staff and volunteers for their work through the pandemic. Issue date: Tuesday April 6, 2021.
The Duke of Cambridge making a series of telephone calls to personally thank NHS staff and volunteers for their work through the pandemic. (Kensington Palace)

The 38-year-old told her: "I just want to say on behalf of everyone what a fantastic job you’ve done. You’ve all held it together and been absolutely wonderful people.

"It’s been a real team effort but we’re all very proud of you. The NHS has gone from already being much loved to probably the most admired organisation around.

"Thank you so much for all your hard work."

EMBARGOED TO 2230 TUESDAY APRIL 6 Handout file photo dated 25/8/2020 photo issued by Press Eye of Dr Thelma Craig, a respiratory consultant at the Mater Hospital, who was contacted by the Duke of Cambridge as he paid tribute to the efforts of the NHS and its workers during the pandemic. Issue date: Tuesday April 6, 2021.
Dr Thelma Craig, a respiratory consultant at the Mater Hospital, who was contacted by the Duke of Cambridge as he paid tribute to the efforts of the NHS and its workers during the pandemic. (Press Eye/PA)

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The range of calls means the duke has now spoken to staff staff representing every health board in Wales, every NHS board in Scotland, every health and social care trust in Northern Ireland, and every county in England, his office said.

The duke has thanked staff from all over the country for their work and praised the efforts of those involved in the rollout of the vaccine.

As well as the calls, he has made in person engagements to vaccination centres in King’s Lynn and Westminster Abbey.

EMBARGOED TO 2230 TUESDAY APRIL 6 Undated handout photo issued by Kensington Palace of the Duke of Cambridge making a series of telephone calls to personally thank NHS staff and volunteers for their work through the pandemic. Issue date: Tuesday April 6, 2021.
The duke has called 300 people since the beginning of the year. (PA Images)

William and his wife Kate went to the Abbey, where they were married nearly 10 years ago, which is now a pop-up vaccination centre, to thank staff. They lit a candle and laid flowers during the visit in March.

The duke has been vocal in his support of the vaccine, encouraging people to get it when it is their turn, and praising his grandmother, the Queen, and his grandfather, Prince Philip, for getting theirs.

While at the Abbey, William said to one staff member of his jab: "I’m a while away yet until I get mine. But you’re getting there pretty fast so it won’t be long."

It's thought the Queen, who is 94, had probably had her second COVID jab before she carried out an in-person engagement in Runnymede at the end of March.

Watch: Prince William and Kate visit Covid vaccination centre

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