The Queen brought laughter to the 75th anniversary of the NHS as she joked that she "shared a birthday" with the renowned institution. The King and Queen were guests of honour at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to mark the milestone anniversary meeding medical professionals, patients, and members of the public.
The NHS, the world's most prominent healthcare system, was established on July 5, 1948. Its historic inauguration took place at Manchester's Park Hospital, which is now known as Trafford General Hospital. The then-health secretary, Aneurin Bevan, spearheaded the drive for a universal healtcare system, free at the point of admission.
During her time at the hospital, Queen Camilla had the opportunity to chat with a group of elderly patients. Commenting on the NHS anniversary, she playfully remarked: "I'm 75, I'm the same age as the NHS – we share a birthday."
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Royal Infirmary, King Charles engaged in conversation with some of the oldest patients. Reflecting on his own age of 74, he quipped: "You get to the age I am, things don't work as well as they used to."
To commemorate the special occasion, the Royal couple took part in cutting an NHS birthday cake, symbolising their support and admiration for the healthcare system.
During their comprehensive tour of the hospital, King Charles and Camilla delved into various departments, meeting maternity staff ranging from midwives to obstetricians.
Queen Camilla took a moment to engage in conversation with doctors Zack Hassan, 28, and Robert Cronshaw, 29. Dr. Hassan, known for co-hosting the Healthy Discussions podcast when he is not tending to patients, shared an amusing anecdote from his interaction with Camilla. He said: “She said to us, ‘doctors are looking younger every year’ and that’s something I hear from my patients.”
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