The importance of essential workers during the COVID-19 crisis can’t be understated, and around the world, people have been finding ways to celebrate their contributions. In the United Kingdom, the weekly Clap for Carers tribute honors the doctors, nurses, and caregivers of the National Health Service. Every Thursday across the country at 8 p.m., citizens take to the streets to applaud the heroes on the front lines. This week, the initiative received a royal boost when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined in from the steps of Anmer Hall in Norfolk. Dressed in shades of blue—Pantone 300, a bright cobalt serves as the NHS’s official color—Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three young children George, Charlotte, and Louis cheered on the efforts of the nation’s health care professionals.
As always, Kate Middleton looked polished. Her floral ruffled dress from the High Street brand Ghost sold out moments after she was spotted wearing it. But the duchess’s fashions wouldn’t have been as impactful if her entire family didn’t get on board. Their coordinated color scheme was a subtle show of solidarity with the British people. Recorded as part of BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief’s The Big Night In, they joined celebrities like Sam Smith, Stephen Fry, and Leona Lewis in helping to to raise money for the U.K.’s most vulnerable workers. The event and the Clap for Carers initiative are a statement of unity in the face of the pandemic and the challenges it has caused. Those on the front lines face the most significant risks, but right now, it’s essential that everyone—even royals—do their bit to support, uplift, and inspire.
