Duchess of Cambridge gets first dose of coronavirus vaccine

‘Thank you for everything you are doing’, Kate told everyone working on the vaccine rollout

Kate Middleton receives first dose of coronavirus vaccine (The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge)

Kate Middleton has received her first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

In a tweet posted to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Twitter account, Kate said she had been vaccinated at the London Science Museum in South Kensington on Friday, 28 May.

“I’m hugely grateful to everyone who is playing a part in the rollout – thank you for everything you are doing,” she wrote, alongside a picture of the moment she received the jab.

The news comes less than 10 days after her husband, Prince William also received the first dose of the vaccine at the Science Museum.

While neither the Duke nor Duchess said which vaccine they had, adults under the age of 40 are being given either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna alternative after the Oxford-AstraZeneca offering was linked with rare blood clots.

In February, the couple urged the general public to take the vaccine during a video call with two women who had been shielding during the pandemic.

“Katherine and I are not medical experts by any means but if it’s any consolation we wholeheartedly support having vaccinations.

“The uptake’s been amazing so far, we’ve got to keep it going so the younger generation also feels it’s important for them to have it,” William said.

Speaking on fake news about the vaccine circulating online he added: “Social media is awash sometimes with rumours and misinformation. Especially for those who are clinically vulnerable, it’s so important those vaccinations are done.”

Kate and William join the Queen and Prince Charles as senior members of the royal family who have had the vaccine.

In February, the Queen asked those who are reluctant to take up the vaccine to think of others “rather than themselves”, adding that it “didn’t hurt at all” when she received it.

"Once you've had the vaccine you have a feeling that you're protected. Which is I think very important. And as far as I could make it out, it was quite harmless. It was very quick.

"It is obviously difficult for people if they've never had a vaccine. But they ought to think about other people rather than themselves,” she said during a video call with UK health leaders.