Prince William issues plea for NHS support after delivering moving speech at hospital

Princess Kate chose to join William on the visit to show her personal gratitude towards the hospital's healthcare teams.

The Prince of Wales said it was "so heartwarming" to see how staff look after patients.

Speaking to individuals in the hospital, he said: "It's so important that we kind of acknowledge and appreciate all that goes on in the NHS, and that very strong bond between patient and carer."

The future king touched on "the power of philanthropy in the NHS", something William feels passionately about.

The father-of-three continued: "[Philanthropy] is something that I think has probably been overlooked, undervalued for many years, but could have such huge potential to move what is a nascent kind of idea to being something a lot more powerful, moving from millions to billions, if you like, in terms of how we can unlock philanthropy in the NHS.

"And I think it needs the support. It needs that kind of energy and that renewed momentum.

"We all applauded the NHS for many weeks on end, through Covid. This kind of feels like a bit of a moment to remind ourselves why we did all that applauding, and that actually, the next stage, the next energy level into the NHS could really come from the likes of all of you around this room."

The Prince of Wales shared how "fortunate" and "proud" he feels to be a joint patron, alongside his wife, of NHS charities.

Their Royal Highnesses took on this patronage role during the Covid pandemic and have maintained close ties with the charity network ever since.

When they arrived at the hospital, the royal couple intended to surprise healthcare workers during their tea break and took the opportunity to listen to the staff about the challenges they face during the winter virus season.

The visit also involved meetings with volunteers managed by charities, whose efforts improve patient care and reduce the workload on the wider staff.

William and Kate witnessed firsthand the impact of Imperial Health Charity's funding initiatives, which benefit all five hospitals within the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

The charity's efforts benefit both patients and staff at these facilities, showing how donations lead to real improvements in healthcare.

The royal visit ended with a roundtable discussion focused on how charitable donations can enhance the NHS.

Ellie Orton OBE, chief executive of NHS Charities Together, is hosting the session, which brings together charity leaders, trustees, policymakers and philanthropists.

Clinicians, patients, and volunteers will also take part, examining how donations support healing and foster meaningful change in healthcare environments.

NHS Charities Together encompasses more than 220 member charities operating across every NHS Trust and Health Board nationwide, collectively contributing £1.5million daily to health services.

These organisations fund cutting-edge equipment, new buildings, outdoor spaces and arts programmes to improve patient experiences.

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