In these difficult times of the Covid pandemic, we all need inspiration and positivity. I'll hope you'll find both of those things in this story of how Princess Eugenie and Jack have been helping others and spreading kindness, and how my twitter friend and fellow royalist Vicki contributed to this process with a beautiful poem that she wrote, which impressed Eugenie so much that she posted it on her Instagram!
Let's start with Vicki's part of the story. Her amazing poem "So here we all are" (above) was her way of expressing the experience of lockdown. She told me how it came about:
"I was having a really difficult day in lockdown. I have worked from home throughout and was feeling very claustrophobic and lonely and I just felt compelled to get some words on the page. I have written poetry before, not seriously just for my own pleasure or as gifts for people on special occasions. On the day I wrote the poem it all just flowed out and not only gave me hope but allowed me to share that with those I love and knew were struggling too".
Then she saw that Princess Eugenie was asking on her Instagram for stories of "kindness or hope at this challenging time". Vicki doubted whether to submit her poem: "When I saw Eugenie's request I really questioned whether to share my poem or not. I am not someone who tries to push myself forwards and have a lot of self doubt, however the response I have with my friends and family pushed me to do it, although I didn't expect to see it shared".
Imagine her joy when she discovered her verses had been shared by the Princess with her million followers! "When I saw that she had shared the poem I was so shocked and over the moon. I admire the Royal Family and to know that she had read my words left me speechless and also rather proud!"
But Eugenie's post about kindness and hope was certainly not just lip service. She and Jack have been truly inspirational during the lockdown period. While isolating with HRH's patents at Royal Lodge, they joined in with a tireless York family effort to supply our medical heroes with whatever they possibly get hold of that might help - fresh food, snacks, drinks, toiletries, sanitizer, even the elusive and vital PPE. They reached out to friends in the business world and encouraged them to make donations.
And in fact, for the deliveries in the London area, Eugenie and Jack actually delivered the supplies in person! Time and again, they drove to hospitals and handed out the donations. This was certainly no publicity stunt, considering that this work was not posted on her social media nor covered by the press. Generally, I found out through Anita (see tweet with above pic), a friend on twitter who works at Imperial College Hospital, and of course I did my best to bring people's attention to their selfless and inspiring work.
Apart from the deliveries to hospitals, Eugenie and Jack also volunteered with the Salvation Army, helping to pack boxes at their warehouse, which were destined for those in need during the pandemic crisis. HRH has been an active supporter of the organisation for several years, and as she said on Instagram: "Since 1865 the Salvation Army has been there with open doors to help so many people. In the past few years I have witnessed first hand their dedication and hard work, so when they invited Jack and I to their newly created hub to pack boxes, we jumped at the chance."
In addition to actively working for others, the Princess has also used her Instagram posts to inspire others. She praised the contributions of key workers (including those - such as refuse collectors - who could be forgotten), publicised a campaign to raise funds for the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, of which she is Patron, and even joined in with her mother's YouTube channel, reading kids' stories. One contribution she publicised was that of Amaia Kids, who made the beautiful outfits for her bridesmaids (including Princess Charlotte) and page boys, who were now making and donating face masks for children.
What I find especially moving about Eugenie and Jack's actions during this time was that this couple were certainly no strangers to the horrors of the virus. Throughout all of this time, Jack's father George (above, at their wedding) had been in hospital, gravely ill with Covid, and fighting for his life. It must have been a horrific time for them, but they never lost sight of their determination to help, to model that kindness that Eugenie had been advocating on Instagram. The best news of all came recently when George was reported to be in the clear and recovering well. His words in praise of the NHS were incredibly powerful. "The point I really want to get across is that I think the NHS is absolutely magnificent", he said. "The way I was treated was incredible. I certainly owe them my life." He must have been so proud of the work his son and daughter-in-law were doing to support those amazing medical staff who had helped to save his life!
I'd like to give the final word to Vicki, whose poem had so impressed the Princess. By a quirk of fate, her poem had been shared on the same day that she was celebrating her first wedding anniversary, so it was a doubly happy day. I asked Vicki about her memories of Eugenie and Jack's wedding. She said that it had been "a real show of unity, family, happiness and love. They looked overjoyed and it was a pleasure to watch". And as for the work of the royal couple during the pandemic, "it is commendable, and the fact it has been under the radar shows they are doing it not for self congratulation but for the people it helps". In her view (and in mine), they are "a humble couple totally in love with each other. They certainly seems like the two sides of the same coin".
Perhaps in the darkest times we see the best of humanity. This has been the case during this pandemic, and as long as there are kind and decent people, who want to reach out to others and spread hope and unity - people like Eugenie and Jack, people like Vicki - then I feel that we will come through this! To quote the last line of her poem, "We are in this together, never forget that"!
