THE QUEEN and Prince of Wales have made separate personal donations to an appeal launched by leading UK aid agencies to help survivors of the devastating Nepal earthquake.
The financial support came on the day the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) urged the UK public to pledge funds to help its members reach families left homeless by the quake.
Humanitarian organisations from around the globe are providing food, water and other aid for the eight million people in 39 districts in the Himalayan nation the UN say have been affected.
The Queen, and Charles and Camilla, have donated undisclosed sums which will be used by the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal to support the work of its 13-member organisations.
The DEC in Scotland has received a £250,000 donation from the Scottish Government.
Chairman Neil Mathers said: "The sheer scale of this emergency and the effort required to help the people of Nepal recover is only now becoming clear."
The UK has already pledged a £5 million package of support, including £3 million released under the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) to address immediate needs on the ground and £2 million to the British Red Cross.
Meanwhile, actor Ewan McGregor is fronting an appeal for Unicef, having visited Nepal in his role as an ambassador for the charity.
Disaster experts believe the earthquake will leave Nepal dependent on aid from countries such as the UK for years, and recovery from the devastation could take a decade.
The DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal, fronted by Joanna Lumley, was shown by all UK broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky on Tuesday evening.
To donate, call 0370 60 60 900 or visit the website dec.org.uk.
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