The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visit Northern Ireland

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall today visited Northern Ireland to thank individuals who have gone the extra mile during the pandemic.

To begin the day, Their Royal Highnesses went to the Ulster Museum, where they saw an exhibition on Florence Nightingale and nursing through time. This year marks the 200th anniversary since Nightingale's birth.

Outside the museum, The Prince and The Duchess met nursing and midwifery graduates from Queen's University Belfast and The Open University, who completed their courses early in order to assist on the front line of the pandemic. Their Royal Highnesses also met members of the gardening team who work in the Botanic Gardens, in which the museum sits. The gardens remained open, with extended 24/7 hours, for visitors to enjoy during lockdown.

Later in Co. Antrim, The Prince met some of the team at Henderson Foodservice, who have worked tirelessly throughout Covid-19 to meet increased demand and keep supermarket shelves stocked. The company have taken on a number of voluntary projects, including helping at food banks in Belfast and providing meals to hospitals in the Republic.

Meanwhile, The Duchess visited the Head Office of Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid. The charity provides confidential support, information and emergency accommodation for women and children affected by domestic violence. Despite increased demand, the charity ensured no one in need of their services was turned away during the lockdown period.

At the end of the day at Hillsborough Castle, His Royal Highness received the Secretary of State, the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

The Duchess of Cornwall received two representatives of Barnardos, of which she has been Patron since 2017. The charity has determinedly worked to maintain their services despite the impact of COVID-19.