Getty When did Prince Charles last see Queen Elizabeth?
With the news that Prince Charles has coronavirus (and is recovering with “mild” symptoms), concern is growing about his potential contacts with his elderly parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Prince Charles is himself in a high risk age group; at 71 years old, he’s no spring chicken. However, the queen and Prince Philip are clearly higher risk yet. How old is Queen Elizabeth? She is 93 years old, having been born on April 21, 1926. Her husband is 98 years old, having been born on June 10, 1921, and has been in waning health in recent years.
When did Prince Charles last see Queen Elizabeth? According to CNN, Prince Charles last saw his mother “after an investiture ceremony for public awards at the palace in London on March 12.” CNN reported that it’s believed Charles became contagious starting on March 13, but it’s not clear when and where he got the virus, which is most commonly spread via respiratory droplets. Prince Charles tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 after falling ill over the weekend. He’s been in Scotland since Sunday, March 22.
Buckingham Palace also confirmed to USA Today: “The Queen last saw the Prince of Wales briefly after the investiture on the morning of the 12th March.” It’s not clear whether the Queen and Prince Philip have been tested. Charles was also photographed with members of his family on March 9, according to USA Today.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that coronavirus symptoms “may appear 2-14 days after exposure,” and the most common are dry cough, shortness of breath, and a fever, although coronavirus survivors have also reported a myriad of other symptoms.
According to CNN, a palace source described the elderly Queen as being in “good health” and said she is “following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare.”
“In accordance with government and medical advice, the prince and the duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland,” Clarence House said in a statement. “The tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire, where they met the criteria required for testing.”
The official added: “It is not possible to ascertain from whom the prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks.”
Here’s what you need to know:
The Queen is at Windsor Castle But She Held Meetings in Previous Days
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (L) and The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster leave after attending the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 09, 2020.
On March 17, 2002, Buckingham Palace announced in a news release: “As a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances, a number of changes are being made to The Queen’s diary.”
“Audiences due to take place this week at Buckingham Palace will go ahead as planned. These include receiving the Prime Minister, the Commanding Officer of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and the Bishop of Hereford. Future Audiences will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, in line with the appropriate advice.”
The statement continued, “Her Majesty will move to Windsor Castle for the Easter period on Thursday 19th March, one week earlier than planned. It is likely The Queen will stay there beyond the Easter period. In consultation with the Medical Household and Government, a number of public events with large numbers of people due to have been attended by The Queen, and other Members of the Royal Family, in the coming months will be cancelled or postponed.”
Buckingham Palace continued, “The annual Maundy Service at St George’s Chapel on 9th April will not go ahead. Three Garden Parties hosted by The Queen, due to be held at Buckingham Palace in May, will now not take place. Guests already invited to these Garden Parties will be asked to attend in 2021. Two additional Garden Parties given for the Not Forgotten Association and the National Trust will also not take place. Investitures will be rearranged to later dates. Further announcements on Trooping the Colour, the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the State Visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan will be made in due course, in consultation with Government.”
According to The Daily Beast, Prince Charles’ press office reported: “He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual.”
To protect the line of succession, Charles and William have been staying in different locations. Charles was reported to have a “bad cough” but is feeling “generally OK,” according to Daily Beast.
The Queen and Prince Philip are at Windsor Castle, according to Daily Beast, which added that the Queen wore gloves at the investiture she attended with Prince Charles but continued to have meetings through March 18.
Charles’ wife, Camilla, doesn’t have coronavirus, Fox News reported, adding that the heir to the British throne is self isolating at Balmoral in Scotland.
On March 11, Prince Charles appeared the Prince’s Trust Awards in London, which were attended by celebrities like Pierce Brosnan, and he used “namaste greetings,” instead of handshakes, according to Newsweek.
Fox News network noted that Prince Charles did sit across from Monaco’s Prince Albert (who has coronavirus) at an event on March 10 before testing positive, but it’s not clear who he got the virus from because the prince has so many engagements. That event was WaterAid’s Water and Climate Summit, where, according to his website, the prince and others met “to discuss the impacts of climate change on access to drinking water.”
Today, our President HRH The Prince of Wales @ClarenceHouse convened with key figures from global politics, business and philanthropy to discuss the impact of the climate crisis on access to clean water.
The climate crisis is a water crisis. And the time to act is now.
Charles’ website shows a heavy list of engagements in early to mid March. On March 12, the last one posted, a news release stated, ” The Prince of Wales gives a speech at Australian Bushfires Appeal Dinner. This evening, His Royal Highness attended a reception and dinner hosted by The Lord Mayor of the City of London and the High Commissioner for Australia, in aid of the Australian bushfire relief and recovery effort.”
Tonight at Mansion House alongside @ClarenceHouse HRH Prince of Wales and @AusHCUK, we are raising funds for @RedCrossAU’s bushfire relief campaign.
The Queen recently released a statement on coronavirus that said: “As Philip and I arrive at Windsor today, we know that many individuals and families across the United Kingdom, and around the world, are entering a period of great concern and uncertainty. We are all being advised to change our normal routines and regular patterns of life for the greater good of the communities we live in and, in particular, to protect the most vulnerable within them.”