Prince William, Queen Elizabeth, and Duchess Kate. Shutterstock(3)
On the mend. Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed a visit from her grandchildren and great-grandchildren following her recovery from COVID-19.
The monarch, 95, met up with Prince William, Duchess Kate and their three children — Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3 — on Sunday, February 27, to enjoy the nice weather at Frogmore House in Windsor, England, per the Daily Mail. Princess Beatrice also attended the gathering, along with her 5-month-old daughter, Sienna.
Two days later, Elizabeth resumed her royal duties by attending virtual meetings with formal ambassadors from her home in Windsor Castle, marking her first public appearance since contracting the coronavirus. The sovereign had previously canceled her scheduled obligations while she recuperated from the illness.
“As Her Majesty is still experiencing mild cold-like symptoms she has decided not to undertake her planned virtual engagements today, but will continue with light duties,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on February 22.
Us Weekly confirmed two weeks prior that the royal matriarch was “being monitored” after both Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla had tested positive for the coronavirus. The Prince of Wales, 73, had previously battled COVID in March 2020.
Though Her Majesty showed no symptoms at the time, Buckingham Palace later announced in a statement to Us that the queen had also tested positive and would try to “continue light duties” in accordance with the recommended guidelines.
Following her diagnosis, the queen hoped to recover as quickly and quietly as possible. “Of course, she has a team of doctors to lean on whenever needed and a support staff that’s second to none,” a source exclusively told Us last month. “But thus far, Her Majesty has been handling this without any fuss or need to involve too many others in her recovery.”
Adding that the queen felt “extremely thankful” for the “emotional and practical support” she received from her inner circle, the insider explained that Elizabeth was determined to keep calm and carry on. “She’s showed extraordinary courage and is thankful for all the love and support she’s received, and as long as she feels able to work that’s what she’ll continue to [do],” the source continued. “She’s truly one of a kind and an example to everyone around her.”
Like many other members of the royal family, Elizabeth was vaccinated against COVID-19. “[The shot] was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine,” Her Majesty recalled during a virtual meeting with U.K. health officials in February 2021. “And the jab — it didn’t hurt at all.”
She continued: “Once you’ve had the vaccine, you have a feeling of, you know, you’re protected, which is I think very important. I think the other thing is, that it is obviously difficult for people if they’ve never had a vaccine … but they ought to think about other people rather than themselves. I think it is remarkable how quickly the whole thing has been done and so many people have had the vaccine already.”
