PRINCE Charles has expressed his heartache at the Covid death toll in a speech to a political conference in Italy.
Charles, 71, who was diagnosed with coronavirus himself in March spoke out as deaths in Britain and Italy topped more than 75,000.
He spent seven days in isolation after testing positive and later said he had ”been lucky” adding he could ”understand what other people had been through”.
In his speech to delegates at the Pontignano conference in Italy he spoke from his office at Clarence House with pictures of the royal family in the background.
Charles had been expected to attend the annual conference in person but Covid restrictions cancelled his plans and he spoke via video link.
He said:”Having taken such pride in the close connections between the United Kingdom and Italy I can only say how sorry I am not to be able to join you in person.
”Now you gather for this conference in extraordinary times.
“The unprecedented global crisis of the coronavirus seems to have changed the world immeasurably, affecting lives and livelihoods in countless ways and particularly cruelly in Italy of course.
”It is utterly heartbreaking that so many people should have lost their lives there, just as they have in the United Kingdom.
“I have the greatest possible admiration for everyone who has shown such resilience, whilst demonstrating extraordinary solidarity to one another both in the worst hours of the initial crisis and now as our two countries face the shared and increasing urgent challenges of building a green inclusive and sustainable recovery.
”It is a challenge and a truly international effort will be required if we are to achieve a reset of the global system.”
He added:”An unmissable opportunity lies within our reach.”
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