A large historic stone castle with two square towers stands at the end of a long pathway, surrounded by neatly trimmed lawns and trees. A guard in a red uniform stands near the entrance under an arched gateway, with a blue sky and scattered clouds above.

King Charles hosts Windsor reception to highlight work of “inspirational” carers

King Charles praised the “unheralded devotion” of carers across the country during a special reception held at Windsor Castle last month.

The King was joined by Queen Camilla and the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, at the reception, which was held to highlight the work of paid and unpaid carers.

In a printed message handed to guests, he said: "My wife and I are delighted to welcome you here this evening as we celebrate and give thanks to those remarkable individuals who dedicate their lives to the care of others.

“Whether through professional commitment or through the quiet, unheralded devotion of family and friendship, you represent something profoundly valuable not just within our communities, but for humanity as a whole.”

The King added: “To those who provide care – whether you wear a uniform or simply the clothes you felt able to pull on in the morning – please know that the great love you show in small ways every day is an example and an inspiration to us all. It is our duty, in return, to ensure it is never taken for granted nor forgotten.”

TV presenter Kate Garraway was also in attendance and spoke on caring for her husband Derek Draper while he suffered with long COVID before he died in January 2024.

She told the reception: “When Derek started to come out of a coma, I had to go back to work because we had no income,” she said.

“People every day give up their jobs to care and find themselves in a very changed financial position. That challenges how people and families survive.”

Sir Keir also paid tribute to “incredible” UK carers during the reception.

Speaking at the event, he said: “I really wanted to come and say thank you, and also because I know first-hand that what carers do is incredible – it is skilled.”

The PM also spoke about his sister, who works in the sector with adults who have Down syndrome, adding: “I couldn’t do what she does.”

Sir Keir continued: “One of my missions, in a sense, is to give equal worth to those like carers who do jobs that I couldn’t do as we give to politicians and those in positions of power.”