Coronavirus: Princess Anne says ‘there is no such thing as an unskilled job’

‘The pandemic has highlighted the number of people and jobs that are crucial to the rural economy,’ royal states

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Princess Anne has said there is “no such thing as an unskilled job” while discussing the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the nation.

In the lead-up to her 70th birthday on 15 August, the Princess Royal guest edited the 29 July issue of Country Life magazine.

In an article written for the publication, the royal spoke about her love of nature and the countryside, in addition to touching upon how people have adapted to life amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The 69-year-old stated that the coronavirus pandemic “is affecting literally every person’s life in some way”, emphasising the impact it has had “on global food supplies through the restrictions on transport and logistics”.

She highlighted that the “restrictions that Covid-19 has placed on the entire population”, with lockdown having been established on 23 March, “have accentuated the pressure between town and country”.

Princess Anne continued, explaining that the spread of the virus “has highlighted the number of people and jobs that are crucial” to the rural economy, including in the hospitality sector, people who are working in conservation projects or those in the farming sector.

“Those jobs are still hard physical work that also need skills to achieve the standards that the buying public expect,” the royal stated.

The Princess Royal stressed the significance of members of the public who live and work in the countryside, saying that at this time of great uncertainty, they are “more important than ever”.

“The people who live and work in the countryside are more important than ever, especially as there is no such thing as an unskilled job,” she said.

When writing her piece for Country Life, Princess Anne also touched upon the importance of people taking responsibility for their waste as a means of protecting the environment.

“Waste – produced by humanity and the way it chooses to live – that is not dealt with appropriately is up there with not understanding the value of small housing developments built to last as a major irritation to me! If you want to help the planet, controlling our waste is something everyone can do and it will make a difference,” she said.

The Queen’s only daughter also said that her father, the Duke of Edinburgh, is a “very hard act to follow”, adding that she is “grateful for the time he gave us and the example he set us”.

She added that she understands “how fortunate and privileged” she is to have grown up in the countryside, saying that she was “equally fortunate” that the Queen and Prince Philip “had a love and understanding of the natural world through their own experiences”.

Home Secretary Priti Patel recently said the government wanted to “encourage people with the right talent” and “reduce the levels of people coming to the UK with low skills”.

The new skilled category would omit workers including those who wait tables and some types of farm worker, but would add professions including carpentry, plastering and childminding.

Furthermore, the salary threshold for skilled workers wanting to come to the UK would be lowered from £30,000 to £25,600.