Duchess Of Coo-Bridge

Covid - 19 crisis : Kate in virtual visit to maternity unit

- Russell Myers

Newborn baby Max was given a very special greeting at just 16 hours old – when the Duchess of Cambridge “popped in” for a virtual bedside visit.

Cooing as the tot lay snuggled in his cot, Kate told proud mum Rebecca Atwood and dad John Gill: “Hello! Very nice to meet you! This is definitely a first, I think!

“Well firstly, huge congratulations. He is so sweet. When did you have him?”

Told he had arrived at 10 pm the previous night, Kate replied: “My goodness, you must be exhausted.”

“Yep! I’m pretty tired now,” agreed Rebecca.

Mum-of-three Kate’s surprise came during a morale-boosting call to staff at Kingston Hospital’s Maternity Unit in South West London – where she spent two days on work placement last November.

For two years the Duchess has been examining early years development in children as part of her focus with her Royal Foundation charity.

Six midwives took it in turns to join the chat, keeping a safe social distance. One donned personal protective equipment before taking a laptop in to introduce the Duchess to baby Max and his parents.

ANXIETY

From her Anmer Hall home in Norfolk, where the Cambridge family are staying during lockdown, Kate asked about mums’ emotional wellbeing and their main concerns during the Covid-19 outbreak.