The 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth II has tested positive for coronavirus, Buckingham Palace announced Sunday.
The British queen who is celebrating her 70th year on the throne, is said to be experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but is expected to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.
“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines,” the palace added.
The Queen earlier confirmed that she and her late husband, Prince Philip, had received their first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021.
She has since late last year retreated from public events on advice from doctors to rest after an overnight hospital stay for an undisclosed reason and over the past few days, multiple family members self-isolated after testing positive for the virus.
Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, tested positive for Covid-19 for a second time 10 days ago while his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, confirmed she too had the virus on Monday. It was confirmed at the time that the Queen had “recently” met her son.
The Prince of Wales previously contracted coronavirus in March 2020 and had said at the time that he was lucky only to experience mild symptoms, adding that he’d “got away with it quite lightly.”
Prince William also tested positive for Covid-19 in 2020, though his infection wasn’t revealed until months later.
The Queen’s diagnosis comes days after she completed her first in-person engagement since returning to Windsor from Sandringham where she had marked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne and the death of her father, King George VI.
The Queen appeared fine on Wednesday when she held an audience with the outgoing Defence Services Secretary, Rear Admiral James Macleod, and his successor, Major General Eldon Millar and had planned to resume her regular duties of audiences, credentials and privy council meetings.
She has made plans to appear at a number of major engagements next month: a diplomatic reception at Windsor Castle on March 2, the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14; and a service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip at the same venue on March 29.
While all are still a few weeks away, the Queen’s positive Covid-19 test may change these arrangements.
