Which members of the royal family have had coronavirus? And has the Queen had the covid-19 vaccine?

The covid-19 pandemic has plagued the entire world for nearly a year now, and the royal family are no exception. 

• Prince Charles and Prince William have both tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began
• The Queen continues to take extra precautions given her age 
• It follows royal news that the Queen and Prince Philip have received their covid-19 vaccination

Having been a beacon of light and support for the NHS and other frontline workers during the pandemic, the royal family have made sure to follow government guidelines like the rest of us to do their bit in fighting against the virus. And have even adapted the way they work because of this.

From cancelling Christmas at Sandringham Castle, to virtual video calls and the Queen even joining Zoom, the royal family have been in it with us every step of the way. 

But, that’s not to say they haven’t suffered all the same. So, which members of the royal family have had coronavirus?

Which members of the royal family have had coronavirus?

Both the Duke of Cambridge and his father, the Prince of Wales, tested positive for covid-19 last year, although Prince William kept his diagnosis a secret for a while, despite even the Queen being '"worried" about his wellbeing.  

The father-of-three tested positive back in April and followed the government guidelines by isolating at his Anmer Hall home in Norfolk. It is believed he didn’t want to alarm anyone with the news. 

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According to The Sun, Prince William said, “There were important things going on and I didn’t want to worry anyone.”

His father, Prince Charles, contracted the virus just a matter of weeks before, in March, and self-isolated at his Birkhall home for seven days.

The 71-year-old revealed he only suffered mild symptoms, and counts himself as “lucky” to have “got away with it quite lightly”.

Prince Charles, who is the heir to the throne, said, “I was lucky in my case... but I've had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.

"I feel particularly for those who have lost their loved ones and have been unable to be with them at the time. That, to me, is the most ghastly thing.

"But in order to prevent this happening to so many more people, I'm so determined to find a way out of this."

Prince Charles' wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, also quarantined for 10 days, despite testing negative for the virus. 

Princess Eugenie also had a close brush with the deadly virus after her father-in-law, George Brooksbank, contracted covid-19 and spent five weeks on a ventilator last year.

Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, were told to “prepare for the worst” during his battle. Thankfully he made a full recovery.

Princess Eugenie went on to thank NHS workers for saving her father-in-law’s life.

Paying tribute, she said, “In particular, I’d like to send an enormous thank you to all the teams who saved my father in law, George's life during his stays at St Mary’s, Chelsea and Royal Brompton Hospital after he contracted the virus.⁣

“To quote George, ‘There was always somebody at hand. I want to offer profound thanks to everyone who was involved. It was a real eye-opener for somebody who has not been in hospital before for any length of time. I certainly owe them my life.’⁣”

⁣

Are the royal family at risk of catching coronavirus?

Yes, they are just as at risk as the rest of us when it comes to catching covid-19 - with the Queen, 94, and her husband, Prince Philip, 99, being particularly high-risk due to their age.

But, the royal family are following government guidelines along with the rest of the country and great lengths have been taken to avoid any close brushes with the virus.

The Queen spent most of lockdown at Windsor Castle, where she remained in isolation with 22 members of staff, in what has been described as the “HMS Bubble”.

Annual events such as The Trooping of the Colour and Christmas at Sandringham were axed, and all Palace Garden Parties planned for 2021 have been cancelled. 

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed the news, saying, "The decision has been taken that garden parties will not take place in 2021."

Has the Queen had the covid-19 vaccine?

Yes, the Queen and Prince Philip were both given the covid-19 vaccine at Windsor Castle earlier this month. 

While it is tradition for matters surrounding the royal family’s health remain private, the decision to make news of the royal vaccinations public will no doubt play a big part in encouraging other members of the public to trust in the covid-19 vaccine.

Sky News royal correspondent, Rhiannon Mills, said, “The public service message that it sends out will no doubt delight those in Number 10 and the health service who want to promote that having the vaccine is safe.

“The royals in the past have set a powerful example when it comes to medical breakthroughs. Queen Victoria used chloroform as an anaesthetic during childbirth, and Queen Elizabeth II broke protocol when she made it public that Prince Charles and Princess Anne had been given the polio vaccine in 1957.

“Today’s announcement is a PR dream, the monarch and her husband showing they believe in the vaccine and it’s the right thing to do; once again setting an example to the rest of the country as the Queen and her family have tried to do right throughout the pandemic.”

Prince William made no secret of how proud he is of his grandparents for going public with the news. He said, “My grandparents have had the vaccine and I'm really proud of them for that. 

"It's really important that everybody gets their vaccine."

It is thought the other royals will follow their lead in due course as the vaccine continues to be rolled out across the country.