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Kate Middleton and Prince William Wanted to Hug TV Host Amid Husband's Coronavirus Battle

Pride of Britain Kate Middleton, Prince William and Kate Garraway meeting the NHS staff

Kate Middleton and Prince William wished they could do more to comfort a British TV host after hearing about her husband's battle with coronavirus.

Last week, the royal couple headed to film with British broadcaster and journalist Kate Garraway for the Pride of Britain Awards in London. Kate and William, both 38, offered their support to Garraway, whose husband Derek is still hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 in March.

"You are doing amazingly though," Prince William told the Good Morning Britain host. "If it wasn’t for social distancing, we would both give you a hug."

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Both Kate and William are known to dole out royal embraces during public engagements, especially for those who really need one. Back in April, the couple stressed the importance of staying connected despite not being able to physically be with loved ones amid the pandemic.

"I think again, staying connected, staying positive and being able to talk to friends and family is so crucial and having just some tips and some ideas as to how to tackle some of these strange feelings and difficult circumstances we’re finding ourselves in is really important," Prince William said during a BBC interview.

Pride of Britain Kate Middleton and Prince William

Thousands of members of the public nominated the frontline NHS heroes to receive a special recognition Pride of Britain award. Kate and William, along with Garraway, met six representatives of the NHS at Britain's oldest hospital, St. Bartholomew's in London, to talk about their work during the pandemic.

As they made their presentation during the awards, which will be broadcast on Sunday, William said, "The devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic has reminded us as a nation of how much we owe to the thousands of NHS workers who have gone far beyond the call of duty this year. They have worked tirelessly around the clock, with humility and compassion, in the most challenging of circumstances, putting their own lives on the line to help others."

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Philip Coburn Kate Garraway with the NHS staffers

Kate added, "Through our conversations with frontline workers during the pandemic, we have been inspired by their stories of bravery and selflessness.

"Many have had to leave their families for weeks on end, some have come out of retirement to help, while others have stepped into new roles to play their part in the fight against coronavirus," she continued. "And it is not just the medical teams — all NHS staff have played a crucial role through this time. During lockdown, we joined people up and down the country to applaud the NHS and our key workers each week. Their hard work still goes on and we remain indebted to them for all they do."

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The presentation was filmed for the climax of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2020, in partnership with TSB, which will be broadcast on November 1 at 9pm on ITV. The awards, which have been running since 1999, celebrate the nation's unsung heroes.