Prince William Honors First Responders at First Event Since It Was Revealed He Had Coronavirus

Prince William is making his first – virtual – appearance since it was revealed that he had coronavirus.

The 38-year-old Duke of Cambridge appeared during the 2020 Spirit of Fire Awards virtual ceremony, which is an annual event held by Britain’s Fire Fighters Charity.

During the ceremony, Prince William presented the Special Recognition Award for Excellence in the Field of Mental Health, to shine the spotlight on the toll the pandemic has had on first responders’ mental health.

“[They] have had to adapt to new ways of working whilst continuing to save lives and help those in need, day-in-day-out. This is what makes the achievements that we are celebrating tonight all the more extraordinary,” Prince William said.

“It is more important than ever that those on the frontline know where they can turn to for support,” he continued. “The work of the Fire Fighters Charity, and all of the organizations who support our blue light services, is central to ensuring the longterm health and wellbeing of our emergency responders.”

A few days before, it was revealed that Prince William quietly battled the coronavirus back in April.