Kate Middleton Makes Emotional Connection with Woman Who Lost Her Grandparents to COVID-19

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/Youtube Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton made a personal connection with a young woman who took part in the royal's Hold Still photography project, voicing her gratitude for the intimate family photo of the finalist's grandparents holding hands in the COVID-19 ward of a hospital.

Over the past year, the Duchess of Cambridge has spoken to many of the 100 finalists who shared their experiences of life during lockdown in the U.K. through the royal's Hold Still visuals campaign. The photography book Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020 was released May 7, and Kate and Prince William shared one of the calls on their new YouTube channel on Monday.

In the fall, Kate spoke to finalist Hayley Evans about the poignant photo of her grandparents Pat and Ron Wood. The Woods had been married for 71 years and were admitted to the COVID-19 ward of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex, England, in May 2020.

"At first they were nursed separately, but were soon reunited. Kind staff pushed their beds together and gave them their own room," their granddaughter wrote of the image, titled "Forever Holding Hands." In the emotional picture, the seniors held hands between their hospital beds. Evans wrote she took the portrait "with gloved hands through a visor" the very last time she saw them.

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Sadly, Pat, 92, passed away in her sleep, and her husband, 95 followed five days later.

"They spent their final days exactly where they were meant to be and exactly how they had spent the last 71 years... together," Evans wrote.

In conversation with the participant, Kate thanked the woman and her family for bravely sharing the image with the world.

"I wanted to say a huge thank you to you for sending in the wonderful, very moving photograph of your grandparents," the royal said. "I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm hugely grateful for you sending in such a personal photograph. Were you able to spend quite a bit of time with them?"

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"They were in a room by themselves, after a few days of being in hospital and my nan got the positive result, they were able to put them in the same room," Evans explained.

"Oh, that must have meant the world to them," Kate said.

"My nan, it made her absolute life being able to be next to him," Evans agreed.

Kate added, "The photograph is so moving, and that's what I think is so lovely, is actually hearing people's stories, and the things that have really resonated for them."

Elaborating on the entry, the royal added, "And I loved your sentence about saying how they appreciate the tiny things, and they took nothing for granted, and it was just the ability to touch each other and hold each other in those last few days."

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In a touching detail, the night before her grandmother hospitalized, Evans said that they had a "really, really good chat" while watching V-E Day celebrations – and even talked about the royal family.

"She was talking about how much she loved the Queen, and then we saw some videos of you and your outfit!" Evans said with a laugh. "For her photo to be selected would have meant so much to her because it's you, and the fact that they're still having such an impact… wherever they are, they'd be chuffed to bits."

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Kate replied, "Their memory will certainly be remembered, that's for sure. And you know, their message, the fact that that sort of resilience, bravery, but also these small acts are the things that really matter, and really keep us together and I think that's been such an important message, especially during lockdown, and I think that really resonated with lots and lots of people."

More telephone calls between Kate and Hold Still participants are set to be released in the coming weeks on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new YouTube channel. The royal couple announced the launch of the channel on May 5 with a behind-the-scenes look at their life — bloopers and all.

Hold Still, on sale now, features 100 portraits reflecting the many different faces of individual experiences amid the COVID pandemic. Proceeds from the book raised will be split between leading mental health charity Mind and the National Portrait Gallery.