Prince Andrew tests positive for COVID-19
Prince Andrew has tested positive for COVID-19, and his limited appearance at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations will be entirely scrapped as a result.
Buckingham Palace confirmed his positive result on Thursday, with a spokesman adding he would no longer attend Friday’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, as reported by news.com.au.
“After undertaking a routine test the Duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow’s service,” the spokesman said.
Queen Elizabeth II has also withdrawn from appearing at the service at the last minute, citing “discomfort” according to the Palace.
If she and Prince Andrew had attended, they would be joining a large contingent of their royal relatives, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Duke of York was also notably absent from the Buckingham Palace balcony during Thursday’s Trooping the Colour, after the Queen only allowed for working royals to join her at the iconic spot.
As a result, she was joined by Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and several minor royals.
Her eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, didn’t appear on the balcony but could be seen watching from a palace window.
Having spent time with the Queen prior to testing positive, some are concerned that Prince Andrew may have exposed the monarch, who previously caught the virus in February.
However, the BBC have reported that Andrew has undergone regular testing and hasn’t seen the Queen since testing positive.
The Duke has stepped away from his public role in recent years, and has appeared in a limited capacity following his settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault.
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