Prince William and his wife Kate surprised children at a school with a video-call to offer thanks to their parents who are key workers keeping the country running during the coronavirus pandemic.

Schools closed for most children three weeks ago to curb the spread of the virus but are still open to care for the children of people who work in hospitals for the NHS and other key sectors.

Holding up a picture to show the royal couple, one of the children told them that it was painting of his mother who worked for the NHS.

“You should be very proud of her, they’re doing an amazing job, all the NHS workers,” Kate told the boy at the Casterton Primary Academy in Burnley, northern England.

With the UK in its third week of lockdown, the royal family have finding ways to rally the British people, with Prince Charles, who himself has recovered from Covid-19, opening a new hospital last week by video link.

William and Kate joked with the children and staff, who were all wearing bunny ears to celebrate Easter, saying that they wished that they had similar headware, as they thanked the staff caring for the children for their hardwork. “We just wanted to say a huge thank you to you guys and well done and keep it all going,” William said.