As His Majesty reached out to grasp my hand, the significance of the momentous occasion suddenly hit me. There, in the historic hallows of St George’s Hall, as the sun set behind Windsor Castle, not only was I meeting King Charles face-to-face, but I was bestowed with a right royal opportunity to sing St Luke’s praises to the gothic-beamed rafters in the most illustrious company possible.
It was an incredible privilege to be one of just four people selected to represent the hospice at such a prestigious celebration of carers, alongside Nikki Mackenzie, Clinical Admin team lead, Tina Lake, Domestics team lead, and Claire Behennah, one of our most loyal supporters and fundraisers.
The grand, but relaxed, champagne reception acknowledged the King and Queen’s heartfelt gratitude to carers from all walks of life, both professional and personal. We were joined by more than 200 other guests from charities and community groups across the UK, as well as individuals, including young children, being recognised for their selfless dedication to the care of people close to them.
Mingling casually in the crowd were several more Royals – The Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester – as well as the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Lady Starmer, academic and broadcaster Rory Stewart and faces from the worlds of TV and media with experience of caring including Kate Garraway, Colleen Rooney, Dr Ranj Singh and actresses Patricia Hodge and Susan Hampshire.
It was impossible to meet them all, of course, but such a joy to exchange stories with some of the like-minded folk in the room, from organisations like Shared Lives South West and Dementia UK, for example. We bonded over a mutual belief that everyone in need should have access to the best care possible, along with a collective commitment to champion the people who provide that care.
Lady Arran, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Devon and, until last year, the longstanding patron of North Devon Hospice, made a point of welcoming us so warmly, both personally and in her official role representing the King, and showing a keen interest in St Luke’s work.
It’s an understatement to say that Nikki, Tina, Claire and I were thrilled to be there. While none of us directly delivers the exceptional end of life care for which St Luke’s is renowned, we are proud to do what we can every day to support the clinical teams.
Individually, we also have experience of caring for loved ones as they go through tough health challenges or navigate their journeys towards the end of life.
Nikki has been with St Luke’s for more than a decade. For much of that time she has been juggling her work with being a full-time carer for her husband, Stuart, who lives with multiple health conditions and sporadic health crises.
Tina returned to work for St Luke’s for the second time six years ago, changing to domestic duties after many years in care. Her husband was in our specialist unit 14 years ago, and Tina also looked after her mother-in-law in her final years.
Claire’s daughter, Chloe, was cared for by St Luke’s before her death in 2018 aged just 22. Since then Claire, her family and friends have raised incredible amounts of money to make sure that others can be comforted by our compassionate care.
My role for more than three years has been to spread the word far and wide about the wonderful work St Luke’s does and the people who make it possible. Then, late last year, when my son, Alex, was dying, I witnessed first-hand the beautiful, dignified care the hospice provides, not just for patients but for their loved ones too.
With the reception in full swing, King Charles moved closer to our group, shaking hands first with Tina. I stepped forward a little and as he reached for my hand, I told him where we were from.
“I think you know St Luke’s quite well, Sir,” I ventured. “You visited us a couple of times in Plymouth many years ago and that’s never been forgotten.”
The King’s face lit up in recognition. He asked if St Luke’s had expanded. Were there more beds since he came to Turnchapel in the late 1980s and 90s? I explained that our progression today was all about caring for people in their own homes, where most prefer to be, but our specialist unit was still 100 per cent there for people with more complex symptoms and needs.
His Majesty looked impressed when I said we were caring for as many as 300 people in the community at any one time.
“It would be lovely if you would visit us again and see our care in action,” I offered.
“Ah, that’s not so easy, these days,” sighed the King.
“You will always be very welcome,” I replied as he swung around to greet Nikki, then Claire, before moving on along the line of eager guests.
All too soon, the esteemed royal hosts and celebrity guests had retreated, and the reception drew to a close. Joining the throng walking back through the castle’s gates, the four of us reflected on what had been a unique adventure.
Nikki said: “Being able to represent St Luke’s in such an amazing, positive way was an honour. It was wonderful – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get dressed up and do something a lot of people will never do. I’m very grateful. It was lovely being there with so many people who make a difference in their own way every day.
“My Granny was such a royalist; all my family have told me how proud she would be of me as the first to actually meet the Royal Family!”
Tina said: “I’ve spent most of my life working in care, as well as caring for family members. It’s an honour that somebody thought highly enough of me to nominate me to be at the reception on behalf of St Luke’s. The setting was beautiful, the champagne and canapes lovely, and so interesting to meet people from different walks of life and areas of care.
“I spoke to one lady who told me how her husband was being cared for in a hospice and asked to go home. When she asked why he said it was because they were “too good” to him! A lot of people don’t realise what hospice care is like – they think it’s going to be just like a hospital.”
Claire said: “I felt really humble to be there. It was wonderful just to see the King and that he made a point of speaking to us. There were some really lovely people there, especially Lady Arran who was very interested in what St Luke’s does.
“Windsor Castle is just sensational, almost perfect. It’s five-star on a whole different level. I was lucky to speak to Kate Garraway and tell her she was doing an amazing job caring for her two children and living her life after the death of her husband.”
It truly was an unforgettable evening of kindness and appreciation, underpinned by the King’s written message to all those who were lucky enough to attend. Here’s an extract to absorb and inspire:
“Whether through professional commitment or through the quiet, unheralded devotion of family and friendship, you represent something profoundly valuable not just within our communities, but for humanity as a whole.
“So to those who provide care – whether you wear a uniform or simply the clothes you felt able to pull on in the morning – please know that the great love you show in small ways every day is an example and an inspiration to us all. It is our duty, in return, to ensure it is never taken for granted nor forgotten.
The King also had a clear message for those who are receiving care:
“I particularly want to say this: you are not and you will never be a burden. The care you require and receive is not a choice you can make, nor an imposition on others; it is in fact an expression of their devotion.”
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