At the tender age of 94, the British sovereign is not shy of technology and has been coming to grips with Zoom meetings — and she’s already a pro. Not only did she have an impressive clutter-free background, but she also looked perfectly dressed for the job in hand. And although royal fans were full of praise for the tech-savvy Queen Elizabeth II, behind the pearls and smiles was an important message of thanks to caregivers.
As the British public acknowledge the hard work and devotion given by millions of unpaid caregivers during Carers Week, those who sacrifice their time, money, and very often their mental state, gave a little insight into what it takes caring for others.
To mark #CarersWeek2020, The Queen and The Princess Royal spoke to a group of carers who are supported by The @CarersTrust to find out more about the challenges they face. pic.twitter.com/ieMyPWlNeV
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 11, 2020
One caregiver who joined the 40-minute meeting explained how those who have been called to look after vulnerable loved ones often don’t realize they’ve taken on the vital role for a couple of years. Caring for their loved ones is just a natural process in their daily lives.
One of the meeting’s participants, Miss Atkins, shared with the Daily Mail that it felt a little unreal to have the Queen herself online from Windsor Castle chatting to her while she was in her bedroom. She also explained the importance of such a call: “She was listening to what we were saying and paraphrasing it back to us. It felt lovely to be so appreciated.”
The Queen stayed in the meeting for 20 minutes and easily adapted to the new form of meeting, along with her daughter, Princess Anne. While it might seem a small gesture to some people, the effort we take in acknowledging and giving thanks to those involved in caring for others provides a real boost, whether we wear a crown or not.
Incredibly, there are 7 million unpaid caregivers in the UK alone, while in the United States 43.5 million people have cared for others in an unpaid position over the last year. These people are truly unsung heroes in society.
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And today we celebrate...