For one minute at 20:00 GMT on 26 March, Great Britain was a kingdom united as people across the country came out to applaud the embattled health workers on the front line of the fight against COVID-19.

With the UK's National Health Service (NHS) staff under considerable strain to deal with the growing number of those infected with the novel coronavirus, the British public wanted to show their appreciation by coordinating a "clap for carers" campaign.

Videos surfaced online from across the country of people clapping from their windows and in front of their houses, as well-wishers in London, Bristol, Gloucester and Scotland gave a nationwide round of applause for key workers.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and finance minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute as they stood outside 10 Downing Street, joining in with the clapping.

Earlier in the day, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton released a video of their children, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, applauding the NHS.

In a further show of solidarity, various landmarks such as the London Eye, the Shard and the SSE Hydro in Glasgow were illuminated in blue, the color of the NHS. 

Across Europe, there have been similar gestures from the public, with people coming out in France, Spain and Belgium to show how much they value key workers in these uncertain times.