Health and Science

Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, tests positive for coronavirus, has mild symptoms

Key Points
  • Prince Charles "has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health," his household said.
  • The 71-year-old heir to the throne has been working from home, it said.
Prince Charles tests positive for coronavirus
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Prince Charles tests positive for coronavirus

Britain's heir to the throne, Prince Charles, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his London household announced Wednesday.

"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," said a statement from Clarence House, his residence in the capital. 

It is not possible to determine how the 71-year-old Prince of Wales contracted the virus, the statement said, "owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks." 

His wife, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, has also been tested but does not have the virus.

"In accordance with Government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland," the statement added.

As the oldest child of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles is next in line to the throne, followed by his son Prince William.

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Charles attended an awards ceremony on March 11 for his charity, the Prince's Trust, which helps young people get into jobs, education and training. 

The ceremony was attended by a number of British celebrities, and although the prince was shown not shaking hands, they presumably will be contacted having come into contact with the prince..

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The prince carried out an investiture on March 12 and then attended a reception to help raise money for those affected by the Australian bush fires, as well as attending a number of smaller meetings since then, Sky News reported.

Buckingham Palace said the 93-year-old queen last saw her son briefly on March 12, but "remains in good health," the BBC reported. The queen, the palace added, "is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare."

The prince began to display mild symptoms of the virus on Sunday and was tested Monday, with the results of that test coming through Tuesday evening, Sky News reported.

As of Tuesday, the U.K. had 8,077 confirmed cases of coronavirus,including 422 deaths.