Queen Elizabeth II has taken part in her first video call alongside her daughter, the Princess Royal, to mark Carers Week 2020.
Carers Week is an annual campaign that strives to raise awareness for carers, highlighting the work they do to take care of their relatives, loved ones and communities and helping them seek support.
There are approximately seven million unpaid carers in the UK. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, some may have had to take on additional responsibilities to look after vulnerable people shielding at home.
For this year’s Carers Week, the theme of which is “Making Carers Visible”, the Queen and Princess Anne joined a video call with Carers Trust speaking directly to four individuals who are the primary carers for family members.
Founded by Princess Anne in 1991 as The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, the Carers Trust, as it came to be known from 2012, is a charity that aims to improve support and recognition for carers.
During the video call, the royals heard from Alex, Amna, Mary and Nadia about the different roles that carers play on a daily basis and the difficulty of taking care of their own mental and physical wellbeing at the same time.
The monarch said she was “impressed” by the work the carers do to look after others, saying it was “interesting” listening to all their “tales and stories”.
“I’m very impressed by what you have achieved already. I’m very glad to have been able to join you today,” the 94-year-old said.
Princess Anne emphasised how the majority of people across the nation are likely to “know carers somewhere” in their lives.
“I think we all recognise that we know carers somewhere,” the 69-year-old stated.
“Maybe we have stopped and wondered how on earth we can help.”
In a separate video message sent to unpaid carers, Princess Anne expressed her gratitude for the work they do to take care of others.
“If you are an unpaid family carer, thank you so much for everything you do for those who cannot care for themselves,” she said.
“This Carers Week, and always, please know that your role is a vital one; one to be highlighted and celebrated, and one that should never be forgotten.”
In addition to the four carers on the video call, the Queen and Princess Anne also spoke to Gareth Howells, the chief executive of Carers Trust.
They discussed the importance of recognising and supporting unpaid carers and publicising ways in which they can seek support.
