Prince Of Wales Visits A Holiday Business In The Country
The Prince of Wales met staff at a travel and holiday business in Wales in his first engagement in the country since the [/news/coronavirus/index.html coronavirus] lockdown.
[/news/prince_charles/index.html Prince Charles], 71, visited family-run Edwards Coaches in Abercynon in Mountain Ash, south Wales, today.
He heard how staff had helped residents from 90 homes to safety after devastating flooding in nearby Nantgarw in February.
Charles, who is among the first royals to begin picking up royal engagements again in recent weeks, thuê xe ô tô giá rẻ was seen keeping a safe social distance as he chatted with staff.
The Prince of Wales met staff at a travel and holiday business in Wales in his first engagement in the country since the coronavirus lockdown
Prince Charles, 71, visited family-run Edwards Coaches in Abercynon in Mountain Ash, south Wales, today
During the visit, the royal was also told how the business had been hit during the Covid-19 pandemic and that it expects major losses for the next financial year.
His last official engagements in Wales were on February 21, including a visit to Pontypridd town centre after it was badly affected by the floods.
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Dressed in a grey suit, lilac blouse with a matching flower and toting an umbrella, Charles looked upbeat during the visit.
Last week the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall revealed they have no plans to retire from their royal duties any time soon.
He heard how staff had helped residents from 90 homes to safety after devastating flooding in nearby Nantgarw in February
Charles was introduced to around 20 members of staff at Edwards Coaches by managing director Jason Edwards.
He first met Ian Evans, 35, a transport supervisor, who spoke of the devastation caused to Nantgarw during the Storm Dennis floods.
'We were part of the evacuation team for the floods and I was explaining how emotional it was to see the devastation and how rewarding it was also to be part of it and see the whole community pulling together,' Mr Evans said.
'He asked me how I felt about it and how the emergency services were.
I said they were second-to-none.'
The staff helped transport residents from their flooded homes to Llantrisant, where a crisis centre was set up.
Charles, who is among the first royals to begin picking up royal engagements again in recent weeks, was seen keeping a safe social distance as he chatted with staff
During the visit, the royal was also told how the business had been hit during the Covid-19 pandemic and that it expects major losses for the next financial year
Nicholas Evans, 45, a local bus driver, told Charles how he had been due to drive to the depot to start his usual route on the day of the flooding in Nantgarw.
'I had a phone call saying 'ignore the route, get to Nantgarw as soon as possible',' he said.
'Within 10 minutes we were over there.
It was devastating. There was eight-10 feet of water but the residents were all in good spirits.'
Keiron Evans, 58, another driver, told Charles he had been due to start a 10-day holiday when he heard about the floods and went straight to help.
'He was asking me what it was like in Nantgarw that morning,' Mr Evans said.
'I said it was heartbreaking, especially seeing the pensioners coming out.
That really upset me.'
Nigel Owens, 45, who works for Edwards Coaches, told Charles his wife Angela works as a theatre nurse at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
'He was asking me about how she has coped through Covid-19 regarding her personal protective equipment (PPE),' Mr Owens said.
'Her face is badly bruised from it all but she has never complained once.
She loves her job; she has been there 11 years.'
Mr Owens organised nine coaches from Edwards Coaches to travel to the hospital and show support for the staff during one of the Clap for Carers Thursday night events, which he described as 'emotional'.
Jason Edwards, managing director of Edwards Coaches, described the visit by Charles as 'incredible'.
'It was such an honour and a privilege for someone like him to come to a small family business from a small community in south Wales,' Mr Edwards said.
'He asked us about the impact of Covid-19.
It has been horrendous.
'He did ask about whether we are seeing the possible signs of recovery, which we are starting to see.
'We've had a lot of people wanting to book coach holidays as soon as they can.'
Mr Edwards said the business had been risk-assessed for Covid-19, has limited capacity on coaches by at least 50%, increased cleaning and provided hand sanitiser on board as well as installed purifying air conditioners.
'We will come back stronger for it, but it has been really tough,' he added.
Charles was introduced to around 20 members of staff at Edwards Coaches by managing director Jason Edwards
His last official engagements in Wales were on February 21, including a visit to Pontypridd town centre after it was badly affected by the floods
Dressed in a grey suit, lilac blouse with a matching flower and toting an umbrella, Charles looked upbeat during the visit
Speaking at another engagement in their busy diary last week, Charles and Camilla were chatting with some of the 700 workers at an Asda distribution centre in Bristol, when the duchess made the rare comment about stepping away from public life.
During the socially-distanced visit yesterday, which took place in a marquee outside the main building, the couple spoke with Richard Sigward, 74, a warehouse operator who has been working at Asda for 17 years and refuses to retire.
'The duchess was saying to me she definitely agrees that if people can work and are happy to do it, they should carry on,' Mr Sigward said.
'She said she refuses to retire herself. The prince was the same.'
The comments seem to put paid to any suggestion that Prince Charles would consider stepping aside and to let Prince William become King, despite being the oldest heir apparent in the history of the British monarchy.
It comes after a royal biographer claimed last month that the Queen's reign is 'effectively over' due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the virus 'practically putting Charles on the throne'.
Not raining on his parade!
Charles kept upbeat despite the rain as he moved onto a hospital visit
Prince Charles arrives to meet with members of staff from Prince Charles Hospital, who have been on the frontline during the coronavirus disease
Andrew Morton, author of Diana, Her True Story, which exposed the failed marriage of Charles and the Princess of Wales in 1992, said coronavirus has 'done more damage to the monarchy than Oliver Cromwell'.
The claim followed reports that Her Majesty, 94, may remain in self-isolation 'for months' and never return to regular frontline royal duties as the government continues to ease the coronavirus lockdown.
The Queen has put all her public engagements on hold while she resides with her husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Morton claimed: 'It's terribly sad but I can't see how the Queen can resume her job.
The COVID-19 virus isn't going away soon and will be with us for months if not years.'
It comes after a royal biographer claimed last month that the Queen's reign is 'effectively over' due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the virus 'practically putting Charles on the throne'.
Pictured, the Queen with her husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle
