Queen arrives at Windsor Castle to present George Cross to the NHS

The 96-year-old was joined by the Prince of Wales for the event.

(Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

The Queen has arrived at Windsor Castle’s white drawing room to present the George Cross to the NHS.

The 96-year-old was joined by the Prince of Wales for the event recognising the NHS for its “courage, compassion and dedication” during the pandemic and throughout the 70-plus years since its foundation.

Guests included NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard and her counterparts from NHS Scotland and NHS Wales – Caroline Lamb and Judith Paget respectively – and Peter May, permanent secretary at the Department of Health and chief executive of Health and Social Care Northern Ireland.

They were joined by a frontline worker from each of the home nations, including May Parsons, the nurse who delivered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine outside clinical trials to Maggie Keenan on December 8 2020.

May Parsons with Maggie Keenan (Jacob King/PA) (PA Archive)

The award of the George Cross by the Queen is made on the advice of the George Cross Committee and the Prime Minister, and this marks only the third occasion on which it has been awarded to a collective body, country or organisation, rather than an individual.

In a message sent on on Windsor Castle-headed paper last July, on the 73rd anniversary of the NHS’s foundation, the Queen wrote: “It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.

“This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations.

“Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.

“You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation.”