Prince William and Kate Middleton have been consistently praising the staff of Britain's National Health Service (NHS) during the coronavirus outbreak. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have even teamed up with leading organizations to launch a new project to support the well-being of NHS frontliners during the pandemic.
Prince William and Kate have tapped their Royal Foundation to provide resources needed during the crisis. The Project, titled "Our Frontline," aims to help NHS frontline heroes struggling with heir mental health as they deal with the situation.
And on July 5, the NHS celebrated its 72nd birthday. To show their love and appreciation to the staff, Prince William and Kate paid a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn in Norfolk, England.
The pair then posted pictures of the event on social media, thanking the NHS staff once again for their help. However, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge quickly received backlash from netizens. Many pointed out that the couple was not wearing PPE and was not keen on social distancing during their trip.
“Where are their masks???” one wrote. "I expected more of you. Masks would have sent a strong message,” another one shared.
One Twitter user even went on to say that Prince William and Kate Middleton not wearing masks and not observing the social distancing protocol is giving the public the wrong signal that COVID-19 is officially over. But it is worth noting that the British government does not require everyone to wear a mask in all settings, except on public transportation. However, people are urged to keep at least one meter apart from each other.
Before the lockdown, Prince William and Kate visited an NHS center in South London to support the frontline workers and discuss the coronavirus outbreak. They said they were confronted with a “horrendous” reality of the outbreak, and left the NHS center feeling “extremely concerned” over everyone’s safety.
This was not the first time the royals have failed to abide by protocols during an engagement. Kate Middleton recently sparked concern when she joined families from East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) to help them plant a garden at The Nook.
Royally Obsessed podcast hosts Roberta Fiorito and Rachel Bowie were surprised that Kate Middleton did not wear a mask, and they also pointed out that the Duchess of Cambridge didn’t seem to adhere to social distancing rules.
