Prince William, Kate surprise UK school children with video call

Britain's Prince William and wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on Wednesday paid a virtual visit to a British primary school, which was open to the children of frontline staff battling the coronavirus pandemic.

The royal couple, calling from their home in east England's Norfolk county, held a video call with school staff and pupils, all of whom sported bunny ears in celebration of upcoming Easter holidays. Two children, Harris and Lloyd, showed hand-drawn pictures of their key worker mothers and said they were happy to be in school.

The online visit came as Britain is entering what scientists say is the deadliest phase of the outbreak. Total UK hospital deaths from COVID-19 have risen by a daily record of 938 to 7,097 on April 7.