I'm speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time a time of
disruption in the life of our country a disruption that has brought grief to
some financial difficulties to many and enormous changes to the daily lives of
us all I want to thank everyone on the NHS front line as well as care workers
and those carrying out essential roles who selflessly continue their day-to-day
duties outside the home in support of us all
I'm sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is
appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to
more normal times I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home
thereby helping to protect the vulnerable and sparing many families the
pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones together we are tackling this
disease and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute then we
will overcome it I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride
in how they responded to this challenge and those who come after us will say the
Britons of this generation were as strong as any that the attributes of
self-discipline of quiet good-humoured resolve and a fellow-feeling still
characterized this country the pride in who we are is not a part of our past it
defines our present and our future
the moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and
essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit and
it's symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children across the Commonwealth and
around the world we have seen heartwarming stories of people coming
together to help others be it through delivering food parcels and medicines
checking on neighbours or converting businesses to help the relief effort and
those self isolating may at times be hard many people of all faiths and of
none are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down pause and
reflect in prayer or meditation it reminds me of the very first broadcast I
made in 1940 helped by my sister we as children spoke from here at Windsor to
children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own
safety today once again many will feel a painful sense of separation from their
loved ones but now as then we know deep down that
it is the right thing to do while we have faced challenges before this one is
different this time we join with all nations across the globe in a common
endeavour using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion
to heal we will succeed and that success will belong to every one of us we should
take comfort that while we may have more still to endure better days will return
we will be with our friends again we will be with our families again we will
meet a again but for now I send my thanks and
warmest good wishes to you all