Queen tests positive for Covid after son Charles caught coronavirus ‘but will continue duties’

Monarch, 95, falls ill with ‘mild cold-like symptoms’ after week of royal drama

The Queen has tested positive for coronavirus after her son Charles caught Covid earlier this month.

The 95 year-old monarch is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms” but expects to carry out “light duties” this week.

The head of state has fallen ill after it was confirmed she had been in direct contact with her eldest son and heir, the Prince of Wales, the week he had the disease.

The shock announcement was made just a few weeks after the nation’s longest-reigning monarch reached her historic Platinum Jubilee of 70 years on the throne on 6 February.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Buckingham Palace confirm that The Queen has today tested positive for Covid.

“Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.

“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.

Concern across the nation will be at peak levels for the Queen given her advanced age and her health scare in recent months, and given her popularity in a country where many have known no other monarch.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have both had Covid this month (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The Royal Household has its own royal physicians and the Queen’s doctors will be on hand to care for and monitor the head of state. Professor Sir Huw Thomas, head of the Medical Household and Physician to the Queen, is expected to be in charge.

The monarch carried out her first major public engagement for more than three months on Saturday 5 February, the eve of her Jubilee, when she met charity workers at Sandringham House, cut a celebratory cake and used a walking stick to rest on.

The Queen is understood to be triple vaccinated, but she had been on doctors’ orders to rest since mid- October after cancelling a run of engagements and spending a night in hospital undergoing tests.

She is believed to have spent time with Charles on Tuesday 8 February, when he hosted an investiture at her Windsor Castle home. He tested positive for Covid a few days later, but made a quick recovery.

The Queen’s doctors will be on hand to care for and monitor the head of state (PA Wire)

The Duchess of Cornwall has also tested positive for Covid, with Clarence House confirming on Monday 14 February that she was self isolating.

Messages of support have poured in for the Queen as politicians and famous faces rushed to wish her well.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter: “On behalf of myself and the whole of UK Labour, wishing Her Majesty The Queen good health and a speedy recovery. Get well soon, Ma’am.”

Home secretary Priti Patel tweeted: “Wishing Her Majesty a quick recovery. God save the Queen”, while health secretary Sajid Javid added: “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a quick recovery.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wished the monarch a “swift and safe recovery”, adding: “The commitment Her Majesty the Queen has shown to our country continues to be unwavering.”

Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker also wished the Queen a “speedy recovery”, while Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden said she hoped Covid would be “kinder to the Queen than it has so many”.

The news comes following an eventful week for the royal family, which saw police launch an investigation into cash-for-honours allegations linked to Prince Charles’ charity.

The Metropolitan Police’s probe into The Prince’s Foundation follows reports that offers of financial help were made to secure honours and citizenship for a Saudi national.

Prince Andrew avoided a public trial over sex abuse allegations after reaching a settlement (Will Oliver/EPA)

Prince Andrew also made international headlines after reaching a multi-million-pound settlement with Virginia Giuffre, the Jeffrey Epstein victim who accused the royal of sexually abusing her while she was underage in the US.

The Queen’s disgraced son is set to pay more than £10m, including damages to Ms Giuffre and a donation to a charity “in support of victims’ rights,” to stop the case proceeding to a civil trial.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry’s High Court claim against a Home Office decision not to allow him to pay for police protection for himself and his family when visiting the UK had its first hearing on Friday.

The monarch’s grandson wants to bring his two children to visit from the US, but he and his family are “unable to return to his home” because it is too dangerous, a legal representative for the duke previously said.

The Duke of Sussex’s family lost their taxpayer-funded police protection as a result of quitting their positions as senior working royals in the early part of 2020.