From royals to Oscar winners: the celebrities taking action against the coronavirus

Sweden’s Princess Sofia and Sean Penn are among the famous faces volunteering to help those in need

Miley Cyrus, Sweden’s Princess Sofia and Sean Penn are among the famous faces who have stepped out in the fight against Covid-19. Getty / Instagram

It’s a challenging, troubling time right now, but one heartening side effect of the coronavirus crisis are the acts of kindness we’ve seen spread across the world.

Among those doing their part to help those in need are some of the globe’s most famous faces, with actors, singers and sporting stars all banding together to help, whether with generous donations or relief packages for hospitals.

While many have donated considerable sums of money or protective equipment, such as Rihanna, Angelina Jolie and Amal and George Clooney, some have taken their efforts to the front lines of the fight against Covid-19.

While practising social distancing measures is advised for the vast population, here are some of the celebrities who have been volunteering to help those in need.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The British former royal and the actress recently relocated to Los Angeles, and the couple have already volunteered with Project Angel Food, a non-profit organisation that delivers meals to people with critical illnesses. They spent two days ferrying deliveries across the city.

“It was their way to thank our volunteers, chefs and staff who have been working tirelessly since the Covid-19 crisis began,” a statement from the charity detailed.

"What Meghan said is she wanted to show Harry Los Angeles through the eyes of philanthropy ... Our clients are clients who are often forgotten," Project Angel Food's executive director, Richard Ayoub, told People magazine. "They really wanted to go visit these people. They wanted to see them and talk to them and hopefully put a smile on their faces."

Princess Sofia

The Swedish royal, who is married to Crown Prince Carl Philip, has completed training to become a medical assistant at Sophiahemmet hospital.

Princess Sofia, a mother of two, underwent basic nursing education in order to volunteer at the centre in Stockholm. The royal is the honorary chair of the private hospital, and now works in one of Sophiahemmet’s care units, where her duties involve taking care of patients, cleaning and cooking.

Princess Sofia, 35, shared a photo of her new hospital scrubs on Instagram as she announced her new endeavour.

“To have the opportunity to help in this difficult time is extremely rewarding,” she wrote.

Sean Penn

The Oscar-winning actor has been working on the front lines as part of his non-profit organisation Community Organised Relief Effort, which has been providing free drive-through testing for the coronavirus.

The charity has been working with the government of Los Angeles, and has so far administered more than 20,000 tests throughout the city.

Penn founded the organisation in 2010, in response to the Haiti earthquake, and Core has since aided in the relief of the island’s cholera outbreak, as well as offering post-earthquake aid around the US.

The Milk star has been photographed on the ground, meeting emergency workers across Core's testing sites.

Jon Bon Jovi

He may be best-known as a chart-topping rocker, but Bon Jovi, 58, is also a passionate restaurateur. The Livin' on a Prayer star owns a non-profit restaurant, JBJ Soul Kitchen, in New Jersey, and it's not just about funding the operation.

Bon Jovi was pictured washing dishes at the restaurant earlier this month. JBJ Soul Kitchen offers take-out meals to those in need. “If you can’t do what you do ... do what you can!” the caption of the Instagram post read.

JBJ Soul Kitchen typically is open for dine-in customers, though is operating a take-out policy amid social distancing measures. The restaurant does not charge for meals or advertise prices; instead, customers who can pay are asked to make a donation, which subsidises the cost for diners who cannot afford a meal.

Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson

The singers decided to show their appreciation for local healthcare workers by delivering free meals to a nearby hospital. On My Mind hitmaker Simpson, 23, described essential workers as "the heroes of our time" as he filmed the delivery.

He was joined by his partner, Slide Away singer Cyrus, to make the drop-off, with the pair scrawling hand-written messages on the meal bags.

“Tacos for the incredible healthcare workers at our local hospital! So grateful for these true legends of our time dedicating their lives to battling this pandemic,” Simpson’s Instagram post stated. “Show some love to yours in your community!”

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall

She may have been self-isolating after her husband, Prince Charles, contracted Covid-19, but the royal was still keen to give back during quarantine.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, took part in a new NHS initiative earlier this month, which called upon volunteer responders to carry out essential duties for the most vulnerable.

As well as delivering groceries and medicine, the scheme also urges volunteers to make contact with people in isolation. Camilla, 72, took part in the programme by calling Doris, 85, who had spent the past two weeks self-isolating, Clarence House said.

Rita Ora

The Kosovo-born singer has also signed up as an NHS volunteer, after being inspired by her mother, who has returned to work as a psychiatrist and GP following the outbreak.

"I think my mum ... thrives off doing her duty, and what made me want to volunteer is that I just found seeing it first hand, this is so real, that I felt like what could I possibly do?" Ora, 29, told TV show This Morning last week.

“I just think it’s truly heroic, seeing all the doctors on the front line. It goes to show we as a humanity can still come together and be unified, it’s truly truly an amazing time to come out the other end and think we can do this together.”

Ora told Hello magazine that she will "deliver medical supplies, collect prescriptions, check on the elderly and make phone calls to lonely and vulnerable members of the community" as part of her volunteering.

Sarah Ferguson and Princess Eugenie

The mother and daughter have also been busy making deliveries for those in need, taking fresh food and treats to hospital workers in the UK.

The Duchess of York and Eugenie, 30, were photographed loading up a car with pastries, designated for healthcare employees.

“This is intended for the doctors and staff of London hospitals, who are currently working up to their limits,” said Hermann Buehlbecker, who shared the image on Instagram. “The Duchess called us about this; she sent us the pictures when the shipment arrived.”

Princess Eugenie also shared photos on her Instagram Stories last week, which showed healthcare workers in London hospitals receiving care packages of fresh fruit and vegetables.

“I'm so happy to have been a part of getting fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to all those working on the front line of this pandemic,” the royal captioned one image.