The Cambridges Meet Inspiring People Who Went "Above & Beyond" During Pandemic

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge carried out several engagements in London today, focused on thanking communities, business and individuals who have gone the extra mile throughout the pandemic.

It marks the couple's first joint engagement since early August when they travelled to Wales to visit Barry Island and Shire Hall. They spent several days at Balmoral where Kate had the opportunity to share a number of images from Hold Still with the Queen. Last week, life took another step back to normality when George and Charlotte returned to school at Thomas's Battersea. Before term commenced, the family returned to Kensington Palace following almost six months at their Norfolk country home, Anmer Hall.

More from the Mail:

'The Duke and Duchess are understood to have relished the upsides of lockdown, which they spent at their home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk. No foreign tours, no away days, no business of state has meant the Cambridges have been able to spend a huge amount of time with their young brood.'

We've all been looking forward to seeing the resumption of in-person engagements. Today's visits were embargoed and organised with social distancing and other measures in mind. I expect to see all the royals continue to work this way for some time, certainly until the spring. It's very much a case of balancing the role of the Royal family in celebrating the countless amazing people who have gone above and beyond since March, whilst adapting to the ever-changing situation.

Their first port of call was London Bridge Jobcentre.

They sat down with customers who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and are currently being supported in searching for new employment opportunities with the help of the jobcentre.

Hello! shared more on their conversations with customers:

'The royals also met Victoria Bello, a fashion design graduate from London and former receptionist who has found a new role as a real estate co-ordinator, with help from a job centre work coach.  

"It was like having support from a friend, because it can be quite a depressing time," Victoria told them.   

The couple also spoke to employers who work closely with the Job Centre including Sandra McNamera, HR business partner at Leyland, who told them that the DIY firm has been hiring. William joked: "In terms of DIY, men think they can do everything when it comes to DIY. I think that’s why everything falls apart."

Kensington Palace added: "The Duke and Duchess also spoke to employers about their experiences of trying to help people find jobs during the pandemic. London Bridge Jobcentre, like all others across the country, has seen a significant increase in its claimant base since the start of COVID-19 and has continued to provide support with face-to-face care to vulnerable customers in a COVID secure manner."

The Telegraph reports:

'At the Jobcentre, they met Afef Ben Khaled, who lost her job in a commercial bank in May when her contract was not renewed.  

When the duchess asked her:  “Are a lot of your colleagues who were made redundant at the same time as you, are they finding themselves in the same situation?” Miss Khaled replied:  “Another colleague of mine who was made redundant thought they [employer] are using the Covid-19 as an excuse. Sorry to be direct with you, but this is the reality.”  

William responded: “I’m sure.” The Duchess, who wore a red Beulah dress and tan heels, asked other job-seekers: “Claiming universal credit, was that an easy process to go through?”   

From there, William and Kate visited the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre in Whitechapel to meet volunteers who helped locals throughout the pandemic by delivering nutritious meals, medication and hygiene packs to the most vulnerable.

They spoke to volunteers and beneficiaries supported by William's patronage the National Emergencies Trust.

The trust was launched following the intensity of emergencies in 2017 - from the Grenfell tragedy to terrorist attacks in London and Manchester. It works to collaborate with charities and those on the ground to ensure much-needed funds are distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.

As they heard about efforts to support the community, including building projects, the Telegraph reports William said: "The children, especially Louis would love to come and watch that, to see the diggers, they love it." Kate added: "Don’t forget Charlotte! She’d love it too."

More from the Telegraph:

'The mosque's senior Imam Mohamed Mahoud brought up the issue of mental health - championed by the couple through their Heads together campaign - and said afterwards: "I highlighted the issue of people increasingly needing support with their mental health - the Muslim community aswell as the rest of the UK who have been horrifically affected by the pandemic in terms of losing jobs and livelihoods."  

 He added that the visit by the royal couple had real importance for East London's Muslims: "It's an incredibly significant visit.  

"The Muslim community often feel they have to do more than what is required to be recognised as part of mainstream society and their visit to the East London Mosque and Tower Hamlets borough helps us with that cause in establishing ourselves as part of the mainstream.'

Finally, William and Kate were excited to visit Brick Lane to try their hand at bagel making at East London’s famous Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery.

As they donned aprons and kneaded dough into bagel shapes, owner Elias Cohen described the efforts as "not bad", adding, "I think Kate wins." Kate jokingly replied: "Wait until you see the aftermath! I had beginner's luck. They are getting worse!"

The 24-hour bakery was forced to drastically alter their business and reduce opening hours during the pandemic. William and Kate heard about the difficulties staff experienced over the past six months.

Despite the incredible difficulties, the team came together to support their local community. The owners joined food donation programme Feast to ensure the most vulnerable people received meals throughout lockdown.

The Cohen family were thrilled with the royal visit and cheers could be heard both on arrival and departure. Founder Amnon Cohen described the visit as "the proudest moment of my life".

A video from the visit with plenty of footage from the kitchen.

The Duchess wore her Beulah London Calla dress for the day.

We saw a glimpse of the dress during a video call in May for Mental Health Minute.

The £550 dress is described: "The Calla Rose Red Floral Shirt Dress evokes a classic mood. It’s crafted from silk crepe de chine and trimmed with a contrasting white cotton broderie lace collar and cuffed balloon sleeves. Note the concealed placket - a contemporary touch - and A-line skirt. Team with ballet flats for an effortless display." The dress is available on the Beulah London website. 10% of profits from each sale are donated to empowering women all over the world.

Kate's new gold brown pumps are the Ralph Lauren Celia style (with thanks to Middleton Maven). The $675 style are described: "From its sculpted topline to its elegant pointed-toe silhouette, every detail of our iconic Celia pumps are carefully selected and meticulously executed. Crafted in Italy, this version is realized in full-grain calfskin that's aniline-dyed to amplify the leather's natural texture and grains." The pumps are available in a number of colours.

And accessorised with an £85 pair of Missoma rhodochrosite gold mini pyramid charm hoops.

If you're just checking in and haven't seen the final 100 photos chosen for Hold Still please click here. It's an amazing collection of images capturing a defining time for the nation.