Coronavirus UK: Prince Charles to open NHS Nightingale Hospital via video link

Prince Charles will carry out his first Royal duty with the opening of the NHS Nightingale Hospital since his recovery from mild symptoms of the coronavirus.

THE newly converted NHS hospital for coronavirus patients will be officially opened on Friday by the Prince of Wales, even though he will be hundreds of miles away.

NHS Nightingale, inside the huge ExCel Conference Centre in East London, will provide an initial 500 beds to relieve pressure on the NHS. Prince Charles will do the opening via video link, as he is recovering from his coronavirus diagnosis on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire.

It’s the first time a member of the Royal Family has performed an opening ceremony like this remotely, the ceremony is taking place at 10am GMT this morning.

It’s understood he will connect using the Zoom meeting application, used by Boris Johnson and his staff, before handing over to the hospital’s Head of Nursing to unveil the plaque on his behalf.

Coronavirus has spread much faster in London than anywhere else in the country and the first batch of 500 beds are urgently needed in the capital.