95-Year-Old Queen Elizabeth Test Positive For COVID-19 After Meeting Prince Charles, Windsor Castle Confirms

Queen Elizabeth II, who marks her 70th anniversary as reigning monarch this year following her accession in 1952, has contracted COVID-19 after meeting her eldest son Prince Charles, the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.

On Sunday, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the 95-year-old monarch is the third royal after the Prince of Wales and his second wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, to test positive in recent weeks. The Queen is currently self-isolating with mild cold-like symptoms and is triple vaccinated against the virus, the Daily Beast reported.

Last week, she reportedly told members of the royal household that she had trouble moving. Her Majesty, who will turn 96 in April, has been sheltering from the virus at Windsor Castle for much of the past two years amid efforts by royal aides and their medical advisors to keep her safe.

“Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement per People. “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines.”

Sources said two weeks ago, Prince Charles, 73, visited his mother while she was down in London at Buckingham Palace, two days before he tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time. They noted Charles was not the source of the queen’s infection amid a growing number of cases among staff at Windsor Castle.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales previously contracted coronavirus in March 2020. At the time, Charles said he had been lucky only to experience mild symptoms, adding that he'd "got away with it quite lightly." Both Charles and Camilla have since been triple vaccinated.

Following the news on the Queen’s COVID-19 diagnosis, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took to Twitter and said, “I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty, The Queen a swift recovery from Covid and a rapid return to vibrant good health.”

Late last year, the Queen’s doctors also advised her to rest overnight in a hospital for an undisclosed reason, according to CNN.

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch had dealt with a series of illnesses and health scares in the ensuing months following the death of her husband, Prince Philip, which forced Her Majesty to cancel almost all in-person engagements.