Kate adds the finishing touches (Picture: PA)

William and Kate surprised NHS staff by dropping in for a tea party celebrating the health service’s 75th anniversary.

The Prince and Princess of Wales added the finishing touches to cupcakes and helped lay tables at a reception at St Thomas’ Hospital.

They met with guests including Aneira ‘Nye’ Thomas, the first baby born on the NHS, named after NHS founder Aneurin Bevan.

Others attending the NHS Big Tea party included three generations of NHS workers from one family – inspired by grandmother and former nurse of nearly 50 years Blanche Hines, who was part of the Windrush generation.

The royal couple chatted with staff about the current challenges faced by the health service and – in true tea party spirit – William even offered a solution to the long-standing scone debate.

Asked whether jam or cream should go first, the heir to the throne joked: ‘Whatever is closest.’

They concluded their visit with a video message for the entire NHS: ‘Wishing everyone a very happy 75th birthday for the NHS. Thank you so much for all you do.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the NHS Big Tea party in the wellbeing garden of St Thomas’ Hospital in London (Picture: PA)

William and Kate with Bake-Off finalist Alice Fevronia, who made the birthday cake with the Prince and Princess of Wales (Picture: PA)

The royal couple chatted with staff about the current challenges faced by the health service (Picture: PA)

William even offered a solution to the age old scone debate (Picture: PA)

The event was hosted by NHS Charities Together, which the prince and princess are patrons of, and television presenter Mel Giedroyc.

Dr Neil Rees, a consultant clinical psychologist leading the staff wellbeing programme at Guy’s and St Thomas’ – which benefited from NHS charity funding, said: ‘The Prince of Wales was very mindful of the support that’s been given by NHS charities and how essential that is, and really understood the issues and complexities – particularly with the current challenges we’re facing.

‘The pandemic shone a light on the needs of staff, but he was keen to talk about how we maintain the care roles like mine provide, and how charities play a major role in that.

‘It was incredibly special to be recognised in that way.’

William and Kate visited St Thomas’ in May ahead of the NHS anniversary on Wednesday.

Now entering its sixth year, the NHS Big Tea raises funds to provide support for staff, patients, and volunteers.

They concluded their visit with a video message for the entire NHS, thanking them for all they do (Picture: PA)

Mrs Thomas, celebrating her 75th birthday as well as the anniversary, said the health service is a ‘national treasure’ which should be taught about in schools rather than ‘taken for granted’.

‘It was there for me the day I was born and will be there for me when I leave this world. It is our safety net, isn’t it?’ she said.

‘My mother always was proud of the fact that I was the first baby born into the NHS. When I was a little girl, I remember hiding behind her skirt when she would say “this is Nye, my national health baby”. It was to the talk of the village.

‘It must have been amazing that people could afford healthcare, optical care, dentistry.

‘I do worry now because in the village that I live, you can’t access a dentist without paying and GPs… the interaction isn’t the same. So, I do worry about the future.’

Aneira ‘Nye’ Thomas became the first ever baby born on the NHS at Amman Valley Hospital in Wales (Picture: PA)

Posing for a photograph besides a bust of NHS founder Aneurin Bevan (Picture: Getty)

She added: ‘When my both children were very ill, fighting for their lives, I was in Cardiff and I was looking up at [Nye Bevan’s] statue and it made me cry with thanks. It is our national treasure.’

That sentiment was echoed by the nurse who delivered the first-ever Covid vaccine in the NHS.

May Parsons, associate chief nurse director for risk governance and compliance at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: ‘I would wish people would recognise that it is such a treasure, not everybody has got an NHS like we do.

‘We don’t know what we’ve got until we lose it.’

Ms Parsons, who has worked in the NHS for 20 years after coming to the UK form the Philippines, said the service is ‘so immensely important’ in people’s lives, adding: ‘Having the insight of being from a country where we didn’t have an NHS, or access to healthcare for everybody, it is such an immeasurable kind of relief for people.

‘It’s something that everybody aspires to have a globally.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales added the finishing touches to cupcakes and helped lay tables at a reception at St Thomas’ Hospital.