Prince William is shining light on the incredible efforts of first responders during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in his first public appearance, as he was said to be battling the deadly virus recently.

The 38-year-old member of the Royal family took time to show his support, acknowledging the physical and mental effort that takes for first responders “to adapt to new ways of working whilst continuing to save lives.”

Adding that helping those in need all the time is an extenuating task and “makes the achievements that we are celebrating tonight all the more extraordinary.”

Rumors of William being infected with the virus started shortly after Prince Charleswas diagnosed in March with COVID-19.

Making his presence at the 2020 Spirit of Fire Awards his first public appearance, giving the emotional speech during the virtual ceremony and presenting the Special Recognition Award for Excellence in the Field of Mental Health.

The Duke of Cambridge also went on to explain the importance of ensuring the “long term health and wellbeing of our emergency responders,” highlighting the fact that they should know their work is constantly appreciated and supported.

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It was also reported that Prince William “struggled to breathe” in April, during the early days of the pandemic, keeping his diagnosis a secret to avoid alarming the nation.

William seems to have completed a full recovery as he gave special recognition to frontliners, admitting before that he “didn’t want to worry anyone,” as “there were important things going on” at the time.