The Duke of Cambridge donned a very bright orange jumper as he thanked the British public for their ‘incredible generosity’ during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prince William, 38, who is back in London having spent lockdown at his Norfolk home of Anmer Hall, praised Brits for helping to raise £74 million for Comic Relief last year.
The organisation helped deliver a special one-off fundraising campaign in April 2020, The Big Night In, with the funds split between Comic Relief, BBC Children in Need and the National Emergencies Trust.
In his message, which is part of the Comic Relief’s Night of TV tonight, Prince William says: ‘Your incredible generosity raised over £74 million for so many brilliant charities, including the National Emergencies Trust, at a time when COVID was first really taking its toll. Thank you all so much.’
Prince William has recorded a special message for Comic Relief to thank the Great British public for their generosity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
Appearing in the clip, the Duke opted to wear a white shirt tucked beneath a bright orange jumper.
Prince William’s message introduces a short powerful film that highlights the huge increase in the number of people experiencing mental health issues over the past year and the support being provided by organisations funded by Comic Relief.
During The Big Night In, which aired last April, Prince William appeared in a hilarious Blackadder sketch with Stephen Fry, who reprised his iconic role as Lord Melchett.
Melchett paced around his office impatiently waiting for the Duke to call in, quipping: ‘I thought Germans were meant to be punctual’.
In the TV fundraising event last April, the Duke of Cambridge was joined by the Duchess and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
Apologising, William said Zoom was ‘complicated stuff’, later revealing homeschooling Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte was proving a ‘bit of a nightmare’ in lockdown.
The Duke said he was struggling to cope with not being able to watch EastEnders, but refused the Blackadder star’s recommendation of trying Netflix sensation Tiger King instead, adding: ‘I tend to avoid shows about royalty.’
As their virtual exchange drew to a close, Melchett reminded William to go out and clap for the NHS at 8pm, before William joked about not wearing any trousers.
The show then cut to the Cambridges clapping on their doorstep in Norfolk as part of the weekly show of gratitude for health and social care workers.
Comic Relief is committed to ensuring people are able to talk about their mental health and access support where and when they need it most.
The royal’s appearance comes as Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl reported Prince William has concerns any private conversation he has with Prince Harry will be ‘plastered over American TV’ (pictured)
With the help of the public donations, Comic Relief currently funds hundreds of organisations across the UK and internationally that are on the frontline providing mental health support to people in need.
Today’s appearance from the Duke comes as sources told Vanity Fair Prince William has concerns any private conversations with his brother will be ‘plastered over American TV’ after Meghan Markle’s broadcaster friend Gayle King revealed his ‘unproductive phone call with Prince Harry‘.
The CBS presenter earlier this week revealed Harry, had spoken to William and their father Prince Charles for the first time following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Despite the Sussexes insisting their explosive tell-all would be their ‘final word’ on royal affairs, Ms King, 66, said the couple had told her about Harry’s phone calls with his family over the weekend.
Despite the Sussexes insisting their explosive tell-all would be their ‘final word’ on royal affairs, Ms King (pictured), 66, said the couple had told her about Harry’s phone calls with his family over the weekend
She spoke out once again for a second time this week, claiming the pair had a deal with CBS and ITV to postpone their bombshell interview if Prince Philip, 99, had died during his month-long stay in hospital.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has no plans to comment beyond the statement issued last week by the Queen, but there is concern within the family that the Sussexes ‘want to keep fuelling the soap opera’, sources told Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl.
One source close to Prince William claimed: ‘There’s a lack of trust on both sides which makes moving forward very hard. William is now worried that anything he says to his brother will be plastered over American TV.’
Elsewhere, an insider said the family is concerned that the story is becoming more like a soap opera, even as Prince Philip returns to Windsor Castle from a month-long stay in hospital following a successful heart operation.
A family friend said: ‘It seems the Sussexes seem to want to keep fuelling this story at a time when the royals are trying to protect Prince Philip from the headlines.’
The source added that Meghan and Harry’s approach seemed to be a ‘very strange way’ to heal the rift within the family.
Viewers can see the special message as a part of Comic Relief’s Night of TV on Friday 19th March from 7pm on BBC One.
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