Princess Eugenie chokes up in emotional video message
Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank had been told to “prepare for the worst” his dad’s battle with coronavirus.
Now, the Queen’s granddaughter has thanked the NHS for saving her father-in-law George’s life after he spent five weeks on a ventilator at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
In a post on Instagram, the 30-year-old royal revealed that the 71-year-old had been discharged this week, with photos showing him assisted by healthcare workers as he arrived home.
Speaking in a short video clip, she said: "I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone at the Brompton Hospital for what you've done in saying my father-in-law's life.
“George came back home to us the other day so happy, and as the 'miracle man' as he called himself.
"From the bottom of my husband's and my heart we just want to thank you for everything you've done on the frontline.
“For risking your lives and those close to you and just for making sure that we can all be safe and sleep well at night."
The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson added: "So thank you so much and thank you for giving us all hope, thank you for changing the course of this pandemic and making sure that we're all happy in what we're doing.
“I wish everyone all the best and thank you so much again for everything you do."
Captioning the clip, she wrote: "The Covid-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for so many and I want to say a HUGE thank you to every frontline worker who have kept us all safe and well, whilst sacrificing so much.
“In particular, I’d like to send an enormous thank you to all the teams who saved my father in law, George's life during his stays at St Mary’s, Chelsea and Royal Brompton Hospital after he contracted the virus.
"To quote George, ‘There was always somebody at hand. I want to offer profound thanks to everyone who was involved. It was a real eye-opener for somebody who has not been in hospital before for any length of time. I certainly owe them my life.’"
Eugenie added: "I can't begin to express the thanks I have to you all for bringing him back to our family, my husband Jack, his brother Tom and his beloved wife Nicola. We are forever grateful. @imperialnhs @rbhcharity @chelwestft."
George, who was pictured at his son’s wedding to the royal in 2018, became ill in mid-March following a trip to France.
According to a spokesman for the Duchess of York, he spent five weeks on a ventilator before being moved to a ward which specialises in heart and lung conditions in people recovering from coronavirus.
After a total of nine weeks in hospital, he then spent time rehabilitating at an institution in Roehampton.
Princess Eugenie also posted an image for Father’s Day to her Instagram account, showing her sitting on a step as a child, alongside her dad, Prince Andrew.
“Happy Father's Day to my father and father-in-law and to all fathers celebrating today and everyday,” she wrote.
Words by Lauren Clark
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