The Duchess of Cambridge has praised the NHS staff working around the clock to deal with the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.
Kate and Prince William became the first members of the Royal Family to visit workers on the front line battling the deadly disease when they popped into a 111 call centre in south London.
They adhered to strict social-distancing guidelines, sitting two metres away from people, and sanitised their hands twice during the visit.
Speaking to a group of handlers, Kate said: "It's amazing.
"You're doing such a great job bringing everyone together and providing that, the support system for the whole public."
The Duchess wore a pink trouser suit with a white top for the visit.
Prince William thanked the team on behalf of his grandmother the Queen and dad Prince Charles.
He said: "The last few weeks, and more recent days have been understandably concerning with the continuing spread of coronavirus.
“It’s at times like this when we realise just how much the NHS represents the very best of our country and society – people from all backgrounds and walks of life with different experiences and skills, pulling together for the common good.
“Not only are NHS staff and emergency workers responding to the needs of the public, they – like the rest of us – are concerned about their families, friends and loved ones.
“They need our support as much as we need theirs."
Passing on thanks on behalf of the royal family, William daid: “That is why Catherine and I were proud to visit staff working at NHS 111, to pass on our personal thanks, along with those of my grandmother and father, to staff working around the clock to provide care and advice to those that need it most.
“It was also brilliant to see the great online tools for those with mild symptoms or worries.
“All of us have a part to play if we’re going to protect the most vulnerable.
“That means acting on the latest expert advice, staying home if we or those we live with have symptoms, and avoiding non-essential contact to help reduce the spread of the virus."
At the moment the 111 service - which in London is run by the ambulance service - is dealing with about 25,000 calls a day across the capital.
Normally that figure would be about 7,000.
More than 95% of calls are normally answered within 60 seconds but the unprecedented pressure on the service means most people are holding on for more than an hour.
While the couple sanitised their hands twice during the visit, one member of staff forgot the new rules when she asked William and Kate for a photograph and without thinking reached out to shake their hands.
“Don’t shake hands!” William remonstrated with a laugh as he brought down his other hand to cut her off.
But he swiftly added as they posed for a picture: “We can do a photograph if we are not within a metre of each other.”
Dr Agatha Nortley-Meshe, a GP and the assistant medical director of the London Ambulance Service, told the couple the call centre had a multi-disciplinary team with GPs, pharmacists, nurses and paramedics who were working “extremely hard”.
She added: “Within the massive volume of calls, there are a lot of people asking for advice and reassurance. But there are also some really sick people in there. It’s about making sure we get people to the right place,
we get people the advice they need, we get people the care they need.”
Trying to soften the mood, William thanked the staff before leaving adding:
"I think we are all going to have a lot of TV to watch in the next few weeks."
