Prince Charles took an opportunity to "express his shock and horror" at rampant abuse during one of his recent appearances. The Prince of Wales had been visiting NHS staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. ITV Royal Rota podcast hosts Chris Ship and Lizzie Robinson explained what he had said.

       Mr Ship told listeners: "We saw Prince Charles out and about in a hospital and had some unusually strong words from him.

       "It's actually quite odd for them to stop sometimes and talk to the cameras, which he did on this occasion.

       "He wanted to express his shock and horror, I suppose.

       "Horror that the number of incidents of violence against frontline emergency workers has gone up in recent years."

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       Ms Robinson confirmed: "The figures have gone up.

       "NHS in England reported that 3,569 ambulance staff reported being assaulted in 2020 to 2021.

       "That is a 32 percent rise from five years previously.

       "Up a third on previous years which is quite a big leap."

       During his visit Charles condemned abuse of NHS staff and asked to speak to victims.

       He said to workers at the hospital: "You can't believe it, can you?

       "When I think of what it has been like for so long, and how many people have been lucky enough to have wonderful paramedics and ambulance staff coming to their rescue."

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       The royal continued: "But now you find the situation rising - violence, attacks, verbal attacks, racial abuse and everything else.

       "To me it's unreal, unacceptable. Why attack the people who are trying to look after you?"

       The Prince of Wales also spoke to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, who was at the hospital.

       However their greeting did not go off without a hitch.

       The two men did the "Hokey Cokey" as they struggled to settle on elbow bumps instead of a handshake.