As removed as they may be from ordinary civilian life, royals aren’t exempt from safe distancing measures either. And with Prince Charles testing positive for Covid-19 a few days ago, Prince William and Duchess Catherine are making sure that they are following self-isolating practices just like the rest of us such as homeschooling their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and working from home wherever possible.
Yes, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have got on board the #workingfromhome wagon, and new pictures of their “office” set-up has serendipitously given us a rare insight into their life at their 1A Kensington Palace abode.
Taking to their official Instagram account over the weekend, the Duke and Duchess shared two images from their sprawling 20 room London home, where they are seen speaking on the phone. In the caption, the pair elaborated on why they’re choosing to highlight and raise awareness for everyone staying at home right now amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Self-isolation and social distancing can pose huge challenges to our mental health — in recent weeks The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been in regular contact with organisations and patronages to understand the issues they are facing during this difficult time.”
The Palace explained in the statement that William had spoken to Mind charity CEO Paul Farmer, while Catherine spoke to the CEO of Place2Be, Catherine Roche. Announcing that Public Health England have now published new guidance to help support people struggling with their mental health during the Covid-19 outbreak, the Palace shared a direct statement from the royal couple: “It is great to see the mental health sector working together with the NHS to help people keep on top of their mental well-being. By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead.”
By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead.
A statement by the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge
Duchess Kate at home
In the new images, Kate is seen wearing her chic Marks & Spencer pink suit, which she wore just over a week ago when she and William paid a special visit to the Ambulance Service 111 control room in Croydon, London.
And in the background of the images, it’s possible to make out some interesting details from their Kensington home. For one, Kate appears to have a solid collection of books at her disposal. As pointed out by HELLO!, it’s possible to make out the books are Penguin Clothbound Classics, with each book featuring a design by Coralie Bickford-Smith.
Prince William at home
Prince William’s working from home set up is also quite unique – his desk features a large lamp which has a beautiful classic design. A large printer in the forefront of the shot also suggests the Prince has plenty of things to be writing up and sharing with his team as they continue to work in isolation amid the crisis.
It’s possible that the images shared by the Palace are about a week old, with it now being understood the pair are currently holed up in their Norfolk home Anmer Hall with the three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Last week, the family shared another sweet insight into their quarantined life, posting a video of the three children joining in the #ClapForCarers initiative, which saw people across the UK burst into applause at 8pm as a sign of support for those working on the frontline to battle the virus.
Singapore had our own version of this, #SGUNITED, just yesterday on March 30!
Text: Jess Pullar/Australian Women’s Weekly