Queen Elizabeth Is Still at Risk of the Coronavirus Following Charles' Diagnosis

At 93, Queen Elizabeth II would definitely be at high risk of contracting a serious case of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Her son, Prince Charles, announced that he has tested positive, which has only increased the fears that Queen Elizabeth may have already been exposed to the virus that led to a global pandemic.

To date, there has been no reporting suggesting that Queen Elizabeth has the coronavirus. Currently, the queen is living at Windsor Castle, around 30 miles outside of London. The queen and Prince Philip decided to leave Buckingham Palace over concerns that they could catch the virus because of where the palace is situated, and the amount of staff required to keep it up. 

Although the queen is reportedly still in good health, her son, Prince Charles, has tested positive for the virus. Buckingham Palace has released a statement that Charles was last in contact with his mother on March 12. Currently, it’s impossible to say exactly how and when Charles contracted the illness. As a member of the royal family, Charles was in contact with a significant number of people in the days before social distancing went into full effect. 

In a statement released by Clarence House, the royals said that Charles had experienced minor symptoms, and was still “in good health.” The statement also made it clear that, while Charles tested positive for the illness, his wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, tested negative. In accordance with the guidelines provided by the British government, both Charles and Camilla are now in self-isolation as Charles recovers from the virus. 

Charles and the queen are currently staying in separate places. The queen made the move to Windsor Castle last week, and she also announced the cancellation of many of her upcoming events, both for her own safety and for the safety of other attendees. Both the queen and Prince Charles have continued working as they deal with the pandemic, although they obviously aren’t in public at all in the way they would normally be. 

In response to the pandemic, Queen Elizabeth is preparing to address the nation in an unscheduled address for just the fourth time in her 68-year reign, People reports. A source close to the family said that there was no scheduled date for the address yet, but that the queen has listened closely to the advice of others and would coordinate the timing of the speech so that it aligned with the goals of the British government.

In preparing for the speech, the queen is having to take a number of unusual measures in response to the coronavirus. She‘s reportedly conducting meetings with her aids and staff remotely in order to practice social distancing, and she’s also having weekly meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the same manner, which only further complicates her preparations for the address.