'Hardest working' Princess Anne visits Scottish care home, just days after death of The Queen

Just days after the death of her mother Queen Elizabeth II, HRH the Princess Royal visited a care home to meet staff as well as a resident who had written to the late monarch urging her to visit the care home.

After seeing her own mother pass away at home in Balmoral Castle on 8 September, Princess Anne met care home and home care staff on 15 September during a visit to Waverley care home in Galashiels.

The Princess Royal is president of the Carers Trust, which works to improve the lives of unpaid carers by raising funding and support. Days before her mother's funeral, the Princess Royal met care home residents and staff inside Waverley care home as well as a group of care workers from the local area.

Sheila Currie, a resident at Grove House care home in Kelso, also met the Princess Royal. Sheila Currie told the Princess Royal of how she had recently written to Queen Elizabeth II, suggesting Her Majesty visit Grove House care home.

Resident told late Queen: Good care 'still exists'

In her letter to the late Queen, Mrs Currie said of Grove House care home: 'I only moved there on the 19th April this year. I have to say the standard of care and support provided is of a high quality.

'The staff attend to all the care needs of the residents including personal care, bathing/showering support, dressing, toilet assistance, medication support and providing meals three times a day.

'They also provide constant conversation and are able to listen to our every need or wish, even when we become a wee bit repetitive!

'I just wanted you to know that good care and concern still exists in this nation and I say that as a former visitor and inspector of residential and day care facilities in Edinburgh in the 1970s.'

Mrs Currie received a letter back from Queen Elizabeth II which was dated 29 June 2022.

Mrs Currie said: “She actually wrote a letter back to me, I was shocked.”

Written by her lady-in-waiting on the Queen's behalf, the letter said: 'The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your letter.

'It was kind of you to share news of your new home with The Queen and also how much you admire Her Majesty and the work that she does.'

Billy Fowler, residential manager at Scottish Borders Council's Grove House care home, said: "The conversation which took place between Sheila and HRH Princess Anne was regarding how immaculate Sheila was dressed, and Sheila talking about the letter she sent to HRH Queen Elizabeth."

Waverley care home in Galashiels is also run by the local authority Scottish Borders Council.

A spokesman for Scottish Borders Council said: "It was an honour to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at Waverley Care Home in Galashiels yesterday."

Only four days before her visit to the care home, the Princess Royal travelled in a car behind the late Queen’s hearse on 11 September.

That car ride was a six-hour slow drive from Balmoral Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Convener of the council, Watson McAteer, said: “After what must have been a really heavy workload the previous few days she really lived up to her billing as the hardest working member of the Royal family.”

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