The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge revealed today that they home schooled their children during the Easter holidays without telling them – as they also spoke of their fears for Prince Charles over his coronavirus diagnosis.
Prince William and Kate said it had been ‘challenging’ to teach their three children – who they said had ‘got such stamina’, although it ‘hasn’t been all hardcore’ – but also told how they have been staying in touch with other Royal Family members using online video calls, in an interview with BBC Breakfast broadcast this morning.
Kate said of home schooling: ‘Don’t tell the children, we’ve actually kept it going through the holidays. I feel very mean. The children have got such stamina, I don’t know how. Honestly, you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you’ve done in that day.’
She added: ‘It’s just having that bit of structure actually. And it’s great, there’s so many great tips online and fun activities that you can do with the children, so it hasn’t been all hardcore.’
William admitted he was ‘quite concerned’ for Charles after his 71-year-old father tested positive for coronavirus after having mild symptoms last month – but the Duke had been optimistic he would make a full recovery.
He also revealed he is worried about the health of his elderly grandparents, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, although they have both been doing all they can to ensure they are protected and isolated at Windsor Castle.
William also said the lesser environmental impact of people not flying around the world for business had been a ‘positive’ of the pandemic, and said he hopes people will now choose to work from home more in the future.
And the couple told of their fears for the mental health of NHS staff who will be carrying some of the ‘pain, fear and loneliness’ suffered by patients, adding: ‘They’re the ones who absorb that and take it home to their families.’
Also during the interview with the BBC’s Tina Daheley:
- William, whose mother Diana died in 1997, told how grieving people will feel ‘angry, confused and scared’;
- Kate admitted online video calls with the rest of the Royal Family had been ‘a bit hectic, I’m not going to lie’;
- The Duchess hinted that they might call Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to celebrate Archie’s first birthday;
- William said he had been positive about Charles beating the virus because of his many previous ailments;
- The Duke said the three-week lockdown has been ‘frustrating’ as ‘pressure, stress and isolation’ builds up;
- Kate praised the ‘extraordinary job’ NHS staff and other frontline workers are doing during the pandemic.
The Duchess also talked about how the couple had kept a strict regime while home schooling their children Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis, who is two next week, in the past month.
The couple said it was also important to avoid scaring their children and making it ‘too overwhelming’, but added that home schooling was ‘fun’ and the children had been pitching tents, cooking and baking.
And speaking about continuing the home schooling throughout the Easter holidays this month, the Duchess said: ‘We don’t tell the children we’ve actually kept going through the holidays. I feel very mean.’
Kate also said the family had been through ‘ups and downs’ during the lockdown ‘like lots of families’ since it was imposed on March 23, but they had stayed in touch with other family members using video conferencing apps.
She said the family were getting used to contacting each other in a different way – and trying to avoid dropping the computer halfway through, adding: ‘It gets a bit hectic, I’m not going to lie.
William admits he was ‘quite concerned’ for his father Prince Charles
Prince William told of his fears for his father Prince Charles after he was diagnosed with coronavirus and had to self-isolated at his Scottish home of Birkhall.
He said: ‘I have to admit at first I was quite concerned, he fits the profile of somebody, at the age he’s at, which is, you know, fairly risky, and so I was a little bit worried.
‘But my father has had many chest infections, colds and things like that over the years and so I thought to myself (if) anybody’s going to be able to beat this it’s going to be him.’
Prince Charles and Camilla at Marlborough House in London at a reception to mark Commonwealth Day on March 9
William added that Charles was ‘very lucky he had mild symptoms’ and told how he ”got a lot of good reassurance from doctors and friends of mine who said ‘listen, the days he’s on when we found out about it, he’s probably passed the worst of it’.’
The Duke continued: ‘And obviously speaking to him made me feel more reassured that he was OK, but again at that age you do worry a bit more.’
A fornight ago, Prince Charles opened the new NHS Nightingale hospital at the ExCeL centre in London, built to deal with the many seriously ill virus patients expected in the coming weeks.
He has also offered a message of hope when he recorded a video after coming out of isolation following his positive test for the infection, which also saw his wife Camilla have to self-isolate in a different part of Birkhall.
‘With a two-year-old you have to take the phone away. It’s quite hectic for them all to say the right thing at the right time without pressing the wrong buttons. But it’s great and it’s nice to keep in touch with everybody.’
They said Charles, Kate’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton and ‘our familes’ have all enjoyed keeping in touch, but added of Louis: ‘For some reason he sees the red button and he always wants to press the red button.’
The Duchess also indicated that they might call Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Los Angeles next month to celebrate Archie’s first birthday on May 6.
Kate told how the Cambridges are using video apps to ‘share in on birthday calls and things like that’ to ensure they keep in touch with the rest of the royals.
She said: ‘I think your father and my parents and our families and things like that have really loved keeping in touch with the children because it’s really hard, particularly over family times like Easter and things like that, and not seeing each other. So we have been making sure we share in on birthday calls and things like that just to make sure we keep in touch with each other.’
Speaking about how they are coping during the lockdown, Kate said: ‘It’s been ups and downs, like a lot of families self-isolating. George is much older than Louis is and things but they are aware, I’m always surprised.
‘And although you don’t want to scare them and make it too overwhelming. I think it is appropriate to acknowledge it in the simple ways and age appropriate ways.’
And on home schooling, she added: ‘You pitch a tent take the tent down again, cook, bake. You get to the end of the day – they have had a lovely time – but it is amazing how much you can cram into one day, that’s for sure.’
William also spoke about his concern for his 71-year-old father Charles after he tested positive for coronavirus last month and suffering mild symptoms, having to self-isolate at his Scottish residence of Birkhall.
He said: ‘I have to admit, at first I was quite concerned, he fits the profile of somebody, at the age he is at, which is fairly risky.’ But he added that he was optimistic Charles would recover.
William said: ‘My father has had many chest infections, colds, and things like that over the years. And so, I thought to myself, if anybody is going to be able to beat this, it’s going to be him.
‘And actually he was very lucky, he had mild symptoms. I think the hardest thing he found was having to stop. And not being able to go and get a bit of fresh air and a walk.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge talked about the coronavirus pandemic as they appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning
‘He’s a mad walker and just loves walking so I think he found it quite difficult. Especially, also I think with his mental health, being stuck inside and not being able to go for walks.’
William also said of his father: ‘Actually he was very lucky he had mild symptoms and I got a lot of good reassurance from doctors and friends of mine who said ‘listen, the days he’s on when we found out about it, he’s probably passed the worst of it’.
‘And obviously speaking to him made me feel more reassured that he was OK, but again at that age you do worry a bit more.’
The Queen, 93, has been staying at Windsor Castle, with the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, as a precaution for a number of weeks and the duke said he also has concerns for his grandparents.
William said: ‘And obviously I think very carefully about my grandparents – who are the age they’re at, we’re doing everything we can to make sure that they’re isolated away and protected from this.’
William also spoke about how the huge reduction in travel in recent weeks had been a ‘positive’ that has come out of the pandemic, and could change the way people work in future.
He said: ‘The environmental impact of no one travelling around all the place has made a huge difference, I think, all around the world. I always thought that was lunacy really as to why on Earth we do that, when we’ve got technology nowadays to do this.
‘Why don’t we conduct more business from home? Obviously of course there are plenty of businesses that rely heavily on face-to-face and that should continue. But I do hope post this that there’s a new way of working and people are sensible and a bit more challenging in terms of how they travel and when they need to.’
How George, Charlotte and Louis have been pitching tents, cooking and baking while at home
Prince William and Kate revealed today that their children had been pitching tents, cooking and baking while they home school them during the pandemic.
The Duchess added that it had been ‘challenging’ to home school their Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but they had kept a strict regime – and continued throughout the Easter holidays.
Princes George (right), Louis (centre) and Princess Charlotte joining in a national applause for the NHS on March 26
The couple said it was also important to avoid scaring their children and making it ‘too overwhelming’.
But they added that home schooling had been ‘fun’ and their three children were full of ‘stamina’.
Kate added: ‘We don’t tell the children we’ve actually kept going through the holidays. I feel very mean.’
Schools and nurseries across Britain closed on March 20, three days before the country went into lockdown.
William, whose mother Princess Diana died in 1997, also talked about the stages of grief, saying: ‘Trauma comes in all sorts of shapes and forms and we can never know, or be prepared, for when it’s going to happen to us.
‘People are going to feel angry, they’re going to feel confused, they’re going to feel scared. That is all normal feelings and that is unfortunately all part of the grieving process.’
The Duke of Cambridge also described how the three-week lockdown has been ‘frustrating’ for many people as ‘pressure, stress and isolation’ has been building up.
In a recording on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, William said: ‘If we are going to go forward with more time spent in lockdown, then there is going to be an ever-increasing need for people to look after their mental health and take it seriously and also know where to go to get the support they might need.’
Kate also said that the ‘extraordinary job’ NHS staff and other frontline workers are doing during the coronavirus pandemic will ‘dramatically change’ how we value them in the future.
She said the higher status of doctors, nurses, care home workers and others will be ‘one of the main positives’ to come out of the crisis which has so far resulted in more than 103,000 cases and 13,700 deaths in Britain.
William added: ‘This is so new. We’ve never seen anything like this since the Spanish flu. You know, 1918. I think it has caught all of us off guard, but I do really hope that people start valuing things that really matter in life.
‘And forget about some of the materialism that’s been out there in the past. And this re-centres, re-focuses and brings us all together as a world. We need to be brought together a lot more.
‘There’s a lot of divisiveness out there and I really hope at the end of all this that we are a bigger global community than we’ve ever been before.’
And William offered advice about maintaining good mental health saying ‘staying connected, staying positive and being able to talk to friends and family is so crucial’.
On April 8, William and Kate chaired a roundtable call in which they thanked mental health workers for supporting those who are struggling. Those who joined the roundtable included: Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind; Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM; Alison Baum, CEO of Best Beginnings; Dr Charles Winstanley, Chair of Contact Group; Emma Thomas, CEO of Young Minds; Chris Martin, CEO of The Mix; Graham Beech, CEO of Action on Addiction; Victoria Hornby, CEO of Mental Health Innovations; Catherine Roche, CEO of Place2Be; and Peter Fonagy, CEO of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
The Duke said: The experiences the frontline workers are going through now is like nothing that anyone has ever seen.
How William is also concerned for his grandmother the Queen
The Duke of Cambridge also said he has concerns for his grandmother the Queen, 93, who has been staying at Windsor Castle, with the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, as a precaution for a number of weeks.
William said: ‘Obviously I think very carefully about my grandparents – who are the age they’re at, we’re doing everything we can to make sure that they’re isolated away and protected from this.’
The Queen and Prince Philip at Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle in October 2018
On April 5, the Queen urged the country to pull together to fight coronavirus in a TV message, saying: ‘If we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.’
Her historic – and emotional – intervention was only the fifth time she has addressed the nation in a TV broadcast, apart from at Christmas, in her 67-year reign.
‘I believe a lot of them are getting on with the job and making us all very proud by how they’re just they’re stoicism and the determination to beat this. A lot of them are putting their lives and health on the line for all of us.
‘And I think that is coming across, I think the nation is appreciating and understanding the sacrifices that many of these people are making. But I’ve also been hearing that there are those who are working in the NHS, who, understandably, are nervous, are anxious.
‘And this hero tag that we’re attaching to the NHS workers, albeit is totally valid. We’ve got to be careful that we don’t, you know, alienate some of the other NHS workers who do really generally worry and are scared going to work every single day.’
When the duchess was asked whether the Covid-19 outbreak would fundamentally change who we are and what we value, she replied: ‘Yes absolutely.
‘I think what we’re seeing now is the NHS and the frontline workers are doing the most extraordinary job and that’s really come to the forefront in the last few weeks.
‘And I think it’s going to dramatically change how we all value and see our frontline workers and I think that is one of the main positives that you can take from this.
‘They do an extraordinary job, it goes unrecognised daily and now I think all of us as a nation can really see how hard they work and how vital their work is.’
The Cambridges have provided the narration for a video which will highlight new advice on Public Health England’s (PHE) Every Mind Matters website.
In the video, due to be released on Monday – which is aimed at supporting the country’s mental wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak, the couple will tell the nation ‘we’re in this together’.
Speaking about what can help people cope with the lockdown, William told the BBC: ‘I think again staying connected, staying positive and being able to talk to friends and family is so crucial.
‘And having just some tips and some ideas as to how to tackle some of these strange feelings and difficult circumstances we’re finding ourselves in is really important, just to nudge us through these next few weeks.’
The duke worked as an air ambulance helicopter pilot and has talked in the past about the importance of emergency service workers off-loading their work experiences to preserve good mental health.
He spoke about similar concerns for NHS staff looking after critically ill Covid-19 patients.
He said: ‘…I think they take away that pain and that sometimes that fear and loneliness that these patients have to go through, they’re the ones who absorb that and take it home to their families.
‘And I think again, I’ve spoken about the attrition and the daily attrition rate of that happening to somebody is not normal and we’re not super human any of us, so to be able to manage those emotions and that feeling is going to take some time after all this is over as well.’
The PHE’s Every Mind Matters platform has launched new advice, focused on looking after people’s mental wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic.
It has been updated after new data shows over four in five Britons are worried about the effect that coronavirus is having on their life, with over half saying it was affecting their well-being and nearly half reporting high levels of anxiety.
To help get the message out there, William and Kate, both 37, narrated a clip which is set to be broadcast across national TV channels from Monday.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (right) on a video call with staff and teachers from Casterton Primary Academy in Burnley, which has remained open to teach children of key workers and other vulnerable youngsters, on April 8
The film portrays a range of people whose lives have been affected by the pandemic and aims to reassure people that support is available and encourages everyone to take care of their mental wellbeing.
In the video, the royals can be heard saying: ‘All over the country people are staying at home to protect the NHS and save lives. It’s not always easy. We can feel frustrated, miss loved ones or get anxious.
‘So now, more than ever, Every Mind Matters. There are things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing at this time.’
‘Every Mind Matters can help get you started with your NHS online plan. Showing you simple steps to help deal with stress, boost your mood and feel on top of things.
‘Search Every Mind Matters to get your action plan today. We’re in this together.’
With many feeling worried, anxious or isolated, Every Mind Matters aims to highlight that there are lots of things people can all do to look after their mental wellbeing and help others to prevent these concerns from becoming more serious.
The range of new resources, designed to help manage mental wellbeing during coronavirus, include a tailored COVID-19 Mind Plan, coronavirus-specific content for individuals and their loved ones, and support for specific mental wellbeing issues such as anxiety, stress, low mood and trouble sleeping.
Prince William praises ‘absolutely legend’ Captain Tom Moore and makes undisclosed donation to his appeal
The Duke of Cambridge praised Captain Tom Moore, who has raised more than £17million for the NHS by walking lengths of his garden.
William described the 99-year-old Second World War veteran as an ‘absolute legend’ and has written to him and made an undisclosed donation to his appeal.
The duke added: ‘It’s incredible, I did see it on the news the other night and I thought ‘Good on him’.
War veteran Captain Tom Moore at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, after he achieved his goal of 100 laps yesterday
‘It’s amazing and what I love also is that he’s a 99-year-old war vet who’s been around a long time, knows everything, and it’s wonderful that everyone kind of has been inspired by his story and his determination.’
Captain Moore has been walking lengths of his garden and originally set himself the target of 100 laps before his 100th birthday on April 30, reaching his goal yesterday.
But he has kept striding, at the Bedfordshire home where he lives with his family, and plans to carry on as donations continue to pour in.
His actions have won him plaudits from all areas with Boris Johnson, convalescing after spending a period in intensive care with Covid-19, looking at ways to honour the former Second World War veteran.
Captain Moore with (from left) his grandson Benji, daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and granddaughter Georgia at home yesterday
Originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire, Captain Moore trained as a civil engineer before enlisting in the Army for the Second World War, rising to captain and serving in India and Burma.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman told a Westminster briefing yesteday: ‘From his military contributions to his support for NHS staff, Tom has demonstrated a lifetime of bravery and compassion.
‘The Prime Minister will certainly be looking at ways to recognise Tom’s heroic efforts.’
William, has followed in the footsteps of his father the Prince of Wales, who is a well known letter writer, and penned a note to Mr Moore.
Its contents are not known, but it is likely he wrote to praise the 99-year-old who, speaking at the finish line, said he felt ‘fine’ and that he was ‘surrounded by the right sort of people’.
Prince William and Kate Middleton chair a virtual roundtable with mental health charity chiefs from their Norfolk home after narrating a powerful campaign video encouraging people to seek support
By Chloe Morgan For MailOnline
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a virtual roundtable talk with mental health charity chiefs as they encourage people to take care of their mental and physical wellbeing in lockdown.
The royal couple shared a photo from the 12-way talk with representatives from MIND, Calm and Action Against Addiction, among others, which they chaired from their home in Norfolk where they are in isolation with their three children.
They expressed their thanks to mental health workers for supporting those who are struggling, and discussed the sector’s view on the specific mental health support needed to deal with the challenges sparked by the pandemic.
It comes after William, 37, and Kate, 38, narrated a video to promote Public Health England’s Every Mind Matters platform, which offers support and advice on how to take care of your mental health during the pandemic.
The video is set to be broadcast across national TV channels from Monday.
The royal couple shared a photo from the nine-way talk with representatives from MIND, Calm and Action Against Addiction, among others, which they chaired from their home in Norfolk
Prince William and Kate Middleton, both 37, are backing a mental health campaign which will launch to support people during coronavirus pandemic. Pictured, during their visit to the London Ambulance Service 111 control room in Croydon
The powerful film, supported by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, portrays a range of people whose lives have been affected by the pandemic. Pictured, children clapping
Speaking in the short clip, the royals can be heard saying: ‘So now, more than ever, Every Mind Matters. There are things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing at this time.’ Pictured, couple holding hands in the short film
Everyone in the country has been affected by coronavirus in some way, be it through staying at home and being separated from friends and family, uncertainty about work or education, or knowing someone with the virus.
The film portrays a range of people whose lives have been affected by the pandemic and aims to reassure people that support is available and encourages everyone to take care of their mental wellbeing at this difficult time.
In the video, the royals can be heard saying: ‘All over the country people are staying at home to protect the NHS and save lives. It’s not always easy. We can feel frustrated, miss loved ones or get anxious.
‘So now, more than ever, Every Mind Matters. There are things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing at this time.’
Every Mind Matters reveals simple steps to help deal with stress, boost your mood and feel on top of things. Pictured, people exercising in the short film
Public Health England’s Every Mind Matters platform has launched new advice, focused on looking after people’s mental wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic
Every Mind Matters can help get you started with your NHS online plan. Showing you simple steps to help deal with stress, boost your mood and feel on top of things.
Search Every Mind Matters to get your action plan today. We’re in this together.’
With many feeling worried, anxious or isolated during these challenging times, Every Mind Matters highlights that there are lots of things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing and help others to prevent these concerns from becoming more serious.
The range of new resources, designed specifically to help manage our mental wellbeing during coronavirus, include a tailored COVID-19 Mind Plan, coronavirus-specific content for individuals and their loved ones, and support for specific mental wellbeing issues such as anxiety, stress, low mood and trouble sleeping.
The website signposts people to activities such as mindful breathing exercises, help reframing unhelpful thoughts, and muscle relaxation.
Alongside the new coronavirus mental health support, Every Mind Matters encourages people to complete a personal ‘Mind Plan’ – a quick and free interactive tool offering tailored mental well-being advice.
More than 1.9 million ‘Mind Plans’ have been completed since the launch in October.
The NHS-endorsed content has been developed in partnership with clinicians, academics and leading mental health charities and social enterprises – including Mind, Mental Health Foundation, Samaritans, Rethink, Mental Health First Aid England.
It offers authoritative, evidence based and practical support to the general public, as well as people with specific mental health concerns.
‘During the coronavirus outbreak, it is natural for many of us to feel worried or anxious,’ said Professor Paul Cosford, Emeritus Medical Director at Public Health England.
‘There are things we can do to help ourselves and others, to prevent these feelings from becoming more serious. Every Mind Matters offers NHS-endorsed guidance on the simple actions we can take to maintain good mental wellbeing.’
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock commented: ‘We have asked people to make unprecedented changes to their day-to-day lives as part of our national effort to respond to this global pandemic.’
‘Staying at home and not seeing friends and loved ones can take its toll and it is completely understandable to feel overwhelmed or anxious.
‘It’s vital that we all look after our mental health in these challenging times, so today we are launching new guidance on the NHS Every Mind Matters website which is tailored to help people deal with this outbreak through practical tips and advice.
‘Whether it’s through exercise, keeping to a routine, or trying something new – there is so much we can do to keep our minds healthy and prevent issues becoming more serious – and I’d encourage everyone to take advantage of this brilliant resource.’
Minister for Mental Health, Nadine Dorries commented: ‘I know how scary a time this must be for many.’
‘We are all feeling something over Coronavirus – anxiety, fear of the unknown, or even just frustration at not being in control. It’s easy to forget that this is an unprecedented situation which is both physically and mentally draining.
‘The new guidance that has been launched on the NHS Every Mind Matters website has been adapted, providing top tips for maintaining our mental well-being.
‘We must all remember during these challenging times that while we are practicing social distancing for the physical health of ourselves and others, there is help out there to make sure we are taking care of ourselves mentally.’