King Charles and Sir Keir Starmer are spotted beaming as they meet for the first time since the latest Epstein revelations
The King and the Prime Minister appeared in public together for the first time on Wednesday night after thrusting themselves into the spotlight following Epstein’s latest revelations.
Sir Keir Starmer joined Her Majesty at a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the inspiring work of the nation’s paid and unpaid carers.
All eyes were on the two men; Sir Keir would approach King Charles to greet him warmly, shaking his hand and even touching his shoulder.
He then greeted the Queen by kissing her on the cheek, before surprisingly caressing her arm.
The three spoke briefly before going their separate ways to greet some of the 380 guests who excitedly flocked to the castle’s state offices.
The royal party also included the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The reception, hosted by Buckingham Palace, commemorated the hard work and challenges faced by millions of carers in the UK, from professional carers to young people with caring responsibilities.
More well-known guests included Coleen Rooney, elegant in a pinstripe white trouser suit and diamond necklace, who spoke of her family’s experience of caring for her sister Rosie, who was severely disabled and died in 2013, aged 14.
Sir Keir Starmer joined Her Majesty at a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the inspiring work of the nation’s paid and unpaid carers.
More well-known guests included Coleen Rooney, elegant in a pinstripe white trouser suit and diamond necklace, who spoke of her family’s experience of caring for her sister Rosie, who was severely disabled and died in 2013, aged 14.
Sir Keir speaks to guests during reception to highlight the inspiring work of paid and unpaid carers at Windsor Castle
King Charles and Queen Camilla at the reception
She said: ‘Tonight is about recognizing carers, whether it’s your work role or a family member.
‘I think it’s something that isn’t talked about enough and isn’t celebrated enough.
‘If you have a family member, it’s not a job, it’s because you care and love them. It is very important that they are recognized and celebrated.
‘As they walked here tonight, you could see the excitement on their faces to be thanked and appreciated.
‘It’s nice to have an invitation for them, to be recognized and to enjoy a special occasion.
‘These volunteers are people who gave up their time and didn’t get paid. They get attached to these people and give their love.
‘I saw this first hand through my sister. And hospices where they rely on fundraising and volunteers.
At the start of the reception at St George’s Hall, Her Majesty, along with the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer, met with a small group of people with a range of experiences of compassion to hear their stories before joining the wider reception.
Guests at the reception included people with direct caring responsibilities, as well as representatives from the care sector and charities and community groups that support carers.
Ms Rooney continued: ‘These parents have this 24/7. To be honest, my mom and dad should be here, not me. They were the ones who spent days without sleep.
‘It was my first time meeting the King and Queen, it was beautiful.
‘But after going to Legoland, I went to Windsor Castle a few times on tour with the kids. They loved it. It was a very nice walk.
‘They asked me who I cared about, so I talked about my sister. We spent our lives in and out of hospitals and nursing homes.
‘You’ll see first-hand how nurses, doctors, volunteers and the hospice work. They all care about their work. They are passionate about this.
‘It was a very pleasant experience.’
Presenter Kate Garraway, looking after her late husband Derek Draper, who died aged 56 following complications as a result of contracting Covid, described the caring community as ‘brilliant’.
Presenter Kate Garraway (pictured) looking on at her late husband Derek Draper, who has died aged 56 following complications as a result of contracting Covid, described the caring community as ‘brilliant’
Guests at the reception included people with direct caring responsibilities, as well as representatives from the care sector and charities and community groups that support carers. Picture: King Charles greets Rory Stewart
Her Royal Highness maintains long-standing connections and patronages with a wide range of organizations that support carers, including Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Maggie. Picture: Queen Camilla at the reception
‘As much as you love it and want to do it, it’s a very isolating existence,’ he said.
‘But it doesn’t feel like you know much because it’s just you and four walls. So to come to a place like this and be recognized by the King and Queen is very special.
‘People care out of love and need. We will all need care or be a caregiver at some point in our lives.
‘I was the primary carer but had to go back to work after about eight months because we had gone from two incomes to zero income.
‘People have to give up their jobs every day for care. There’s a lot of pressure.
‘People can find themselves in a very changed financial situation. It challenges how families can survive.
‘If you paid all the people who care for people unpaid wages, that would be more than the budget of the entire NHS. ‘They save us all.’
Sir Keir added: ‘It’s really important to celebrate them.
‘I’m really pleased that His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen are hosting this in Windsor because it’s an opportunity not only to say thank you, but also to recognize and celebrate what carers do.
‘Whether they are carers of family members, carers in homes or carers within a wider network.
‘I really wanted to come tonight because I wanted to thank you and I know this first hand because my sister is a carer, what carers do is an incredible, skillful thing.
‘I saw my sister at work, she works with adults with Down Syndrome. I couldn’t do what he did.
‘One of my duties is to give equal value to people like carers who do jobs that I cannot do, in the same way that we value politicians and those in positions of power.
‘Being here in the main banqueting hall of Windsor Castle is a small but important way of gaining this recognition. ‘
All eyes were on King Charles and Sir Keir; Sir Keir would approach King Charles to greet him warmly, shaking his hand and even touching his shoulder.
Her Royal Highness has long-standing connections and patronage with a wide range of organizations that support carers, including Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Maggie’s.
Among the patronages represented by the Duchess of Edinburgh at the reception were Shooting Star Children’s Hospices and Brainwave.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester’s patronages included Parkinson’s UK and The Children’s Society.
The 2021 Census found that there are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK, 29 per cent of whom provide more than 50 hours of care each week, and women make up 59 per cent of the unpaid carer population.
Barnardo’s estimates that one in five children in the UK may be a young carer.
The adult social care sector in England alone employs approximately 1.59 million people, including care workers, nurses, social workers and support staff.
In a printed message to his guests, the King said he and the Queen were delighted to ‘celebrate and thank these extraordinary individuals who dedicate their lives to the care of others’, describing their work as ‘infinitely valuable to humanity as a whole’.
He highlighted the fact that around five million people in the UK, or one in ten adults, are currently providing unpaid care for a loved one.
‘They do this not for recognition or reward, but because their hearts compel them to do it,’ he said.
He added: ‘I have had the privilege of meeting many people involved in this type of service throughout my life.
‘I have witnessed extraordinary sensitivity in carrying out your duties in care homes and nursing homes, support groups and community centres.
‘I have seen the patience required when the vulnerable person you care for is in distress.
‘I have witnessed the tears flow when an elderly loved one can no longer recognize your face.
‘I have observed the gentle sense of humor and friendship of my colleagues that can lighten the heaviest days.
‘Above all, I have been struck again and again by the resilience of people who give so much of themselves while asking so little in return.
‘Indeed, those who dedicate their lives to the care of others often do so at the expense of their own health and well-being.
‘Research tells us that many informal carers struggle to keep their jobs while carrying out caring duties. ‘Isolation, exhaustion and financial hardship are constant companions for many people.’
‘We owe them not only our thanks, but also our practical support.
King also highlights specific examples of children and young people caring for their parents and other relatives.
‘There are hundreds of thousands of them across this country, some as young as five years old, helping to look after their parents, siblings or grandparents,’ he said.
‘They prepare meals, administer medication, provide emotional support and manage household chores; At the same time, they are trying to cope with the ordinary difficulties of growing up.
‘While every caregiver deserves our respect, these young people deserve our deepest admiration.
‘Every day they demonstrate what it takes many a lifetime to understand: the desire to help others is the noblest quality of humanity.
‘It is up to us to ensure that their sacrifices do not cost them their own childhoods, educations or dreams.’
She added: ‘Whether you’re wearing a uniform or the clothes you feel like you can put on in the morning, to those providing care, please know that the great love you show in the small ways every day is an example and inspiration to us all.
‘In turn, it is our duty to ensure that this is never taken for granted or forgotten.’
