Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the Bank of England Wednesday to talk to Governor Andrew Bailey and other bank officials regarding the state of the U.K.'s national economy amid the coronavirus lockdown.
The Prince of Wales had a sit-down meeting with the central bank governor and discussed with some of the people who made the bank notes. The royal pair also talked with bank employees in a short virtual conference with bank tellers, who are also considered frontliners.
As part of a tradition with his mother, the Queen, Prince Charles signed a £1 million promissory note. According to journalist Rebecca English, the note will be kept in the bank vault but it didn't stop Camilla from joking about keeping it in her handbag.
According to Daily Express, the Bank of England will release more measures to help businesses afloat and allow individuals to keep their jobs. The move is to avoid the long-term damages of the virus to the economy.
The central bank is also cutting back interest rates to help businesses cope with paying staff salaries and suppliers. In March, the central bank governor assured the public that the economy was in good shape as the pandemic struck. However, as the U.K. is currently in the second wave of the coronavirus, Bailey said that there is enough "firepower" to sustain the economy.
Interestingly, Bailey was assigned as the Bank of Enland governor in early March as well and is seven months into his role. He acknowledged the unavoidable risks and uncertainty but assured the Prince of Wales that there are capable of strongly responding to the challenges ahead.
Meanwhile, because of the rising coronavirus cases in the U.K., Prince Charles and Camilla minded safety protocols during their visit to the central bank. The royal couple had face masks on and observed social distancing. According to Vanity Fair, the heir to the throne's face mask had special and subtle symbols for the Turquoise Mountain.
The charity, founded in 2006 with Prince Charles' help, is about preserving the craft of traditional artisans while training soon-to-be skilled crafters and artists. Apparently, the Turquoise Mountain recently partnered with seamstress and weavers to produce more face masks with patterned fabrics in a bid to boost their livelihood.
This was the second time Prince Charles wore his printed face mask. The Prince of Wales also used this protective gear when he and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Northern Ireland in late September. The royal pair is keeping with their in-person royal engagements amid the coronavirus second wave.
