Kate Middleton talks to new parents on video call

Kate Middleton has urged new parents, midwives and other maternity service professionals to promote her message of mental health awareness during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a video posted on Twitter by Kensington Palace, the residence and office of Kate and her husband Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge could be seen chatting via video-link with a woman who had given birth the night before, a midwife, and various others.

“As organisations you’re playing such a vital role, giving key information, you’re hugely trusted by the public in general, and therefore the information that you provide is a lifeline to many people at this time,” Kate told professionals from the non-profit mental health organisations on a group call.

The video was issued to mark Britain’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week.

In a separate snippet, Kate could be seen chatting with a new mother on her hospital bed, congratulating her on the birth of her son and acknowledging the strangeness of having the conversation via video-link due to social distancing measures.

“This is definitely a first,” she said, laughing along with the new mother.

A midwife also appeared from a hospital ward on the video-montage, asking whether Kate could tell that she was smiling underneath her protective face mask. “With your eyes, yes I can,” the duchess replied.

Kate and William have long campaigned to raise awareness of mental health issues. Last week, the couple launched a new service called OurFrontline, which provides round-the-clock mental health support to key workers involved in the response to the coronavirus crisis.

William’s grandmother, 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth, has issued a number of rallying messages to the nation since it went into lockdown in March, including a televised address that was only the fifth of her 68-year reign.

More than 28,000 people have died of COVID-19 across the United Kingdom.