Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Visit Ambulance Station in London

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made their first public appearance since the controversy surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.

On Thursday, the royal couple visited an ambulance station in Newham, East London, to show their support for the crews and paramedics working on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During their visit, William and Catherine spoke to ambulance staff and paramedics about the challenges of working during one of the most difficult times in the service's history.

They also heard about the mental health and wellbeing support provided to staff at the station, including drop-in sessions and wellbeing spaces, and some of the wider initiatives provided by the London Ambulance Service, such as their fleet of wellbeing tea trucks.

One touching moment during the visit was when Jai Jahin Khan, a member of the ambulance crew, asked if it was okay to call her dad Abu.

She then FaceTimed him in Bangladesh, where he had been separated from his family since the lockdown after his mother became sick.

William said, “You must be very proud of your daughter.”

Abu replied, “Yes, we are very proud of her.”

Jai's sister Nazarin and granddad Baharam in the UK were also able to join the call.

Paramedic Sharni Smith spoke to William and Catherine about how she had been helping to run one of the wellbeing tea trucks over the last 12 months.

The trucks travel to hospitals and control centres across London, serving comforting hot drinks and snacks to ambulance staff and volunteers.

It provides an opportunity for the emergency workers to take a moment to pause and refresh.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, William and Catherine have been supporting frontline health workers.

The London Ambulance Service has received $140,000 of funding from NHS Charities Together, of which their Royal Highnesses are joint patrons.

Their Royal Foundation has helped set up Our Frontline, a one-to-one mental health resource that offers staffers access, help and advice as they tackle difficult and often harrowing cases.

In November, William recognised how the COVID-19 crisis has presented a unique challenge for all emergency staffers.

As a former air ambulance helicopter pilot, he regularly witnessed first-hand the critical work first responders do.

In December, William and Catherine toured Britain on the Royal Train as they extended their thanks to health workers, teachers, and other frontline staff for all they have done during the pandemic.

The Duke and Duchess' visit on Thursday comes after talk show host Gayle King revealed that Prince William and Harry had spoken after the Oprah interview, but their talks were not productive.

Meghan's friend Gayle said she spoke to Harry over the weekend and he told her about the conversation he had with his family.

Since then, Prince William is reportedly worried that private conversations between him and his brother will be aired on American television.

Despite the ongoing tension between the royal brothers, William and Catherine remain committed to supporting frontline health workers.

Their visit to the ambulance station in Newham is a testament to their dedication to helping those who are working tirelessly to keep the public safe during the pandemic.