Prince William and Kate Middleton went for an "unannounced" visit at NHS 111 call center in Croydon earlier this week. It was reported that the royal couple personally met and thanked the staff, who served as "frontliners" amid the coronavirus outbreak in the United Kingdom.
They also shared that they brought with them the message that the Queen and the Heir Apparent have given toward the staff and workers at the London Ambulance Service of the NHS. Apart from making their gratefulness known, the Duke and Duchess also asked everyone, especially the public, to support these workers by listening to their advice in this time of crisis.
According to Express UK, this surprise visit made by Prince William and Kate Middleton allowed them to speak as well with the chief executive of the London Ambulance Service, Garrett Emmerson. While the conversations that they had were not initially disclosed with the public, recent claims revealed that the royal-born Prince spoke of his concerns about the pandemic with the executive.
Garrett Emmerson reportedly shared that the Duke of Cambridge thinks that the COVID-19 pandemic may change how royal visits would happen in the future.
He then explained that amid the crisis, everyone is learning "new ways" when it comes to "behaving socially." This then results in "new ways of working."
The London Ambulance Service head went on to reveal that he, along with the staff at Croydon, was talking to Prince William about the "potential future visits." He said that everyone may already observe "remote conferencing," especially in the last stages of the public's social distancing. It was also added that this type of engagement is not unlikely to happen in the next few weeks or months.
In a similar report released by My London News, the publication revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also learned how the number of calls that the NHS 111 receives in recent weeks has drastically increased. It was said that the number had "quadrupled" since the emergence of the crisis in the country. They reportedly cater to four to five times more than the usual calls from the public.
Prince William and Kate Middleton's visit to Croydon also witnessed the royals "adhering" to the protocols that have been set in dealing with the outbreak. They did not reportedly shake hands with the staff and workers at the station. Also, the "frequently" sanitized and made efforts to observe social distancing during the engagement.
