Clarence House has confirmed that the Prince of Wales, 71, has tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement released on Wednesday, a spokesman said: "The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Coronavirus. 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."
READ: Prince Henrik of Denmark, ten, tested for coronavirus
WATCH: Prince Charles tests positive for COVID-19
It added: "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 tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire where they met the criteria required for testing.
"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."
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© Photo: Getty ImagesCharles at a dinner for the Australian Bushfire Appeal on 12 March
Charles is the first member of the British royal family to have tested positive for the virus. Last week, Prince Albert of Monaco, 62, was confirmed to have COVID-19 and the Danish royal court revealed that Prince Henrik, ten, was tested for the virus after breathing problems associated with asthmatic bronchitis. He was given the all-clear from a hospital in Copenhagen.
Meanwhile, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are currently residing at Windsor Castle. Her Majesty, 93, began her Easter break early at the Berkshire palace last week, while Prince Philip, 98, was flown there by helicopter from Sandringham, Norfolk. Buckingham Palace said: "Her Majesty The Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw The Prince of Wales briefly after the investiture on the morning of 12 March and is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare."
Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, who referred to Charles and Camilla's Scottish titles, said: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay were tested for Covid-19 for clinical reasons."
The palace also confimed that Charles' sons, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, were informed of the news by telephone. Prince Harry is currently living in Canada with wife Meghan and their ten-month-old son Archie.
Prince Charles' most recent engagements
The Prince's last public engagements were on 12 March when he carried out an investiture, on behalf of the Queen, at Buckingham Palace and in the evening, he attended a dinner in aid of the Australia Bushfire Appeal. Prior to that, he was at the Prince's Trust Awards at the London Palladium on 11 March and the day before that, Charles attended a WaterAid Summit. He and wife Camilla were guests at a reception to mark Commonwealth Day on 9 March, after attending the service at Westminster Abbey with members of the royal family.
Prince Charles has avoided shaking hands
© Photo: Getty ImagesCharles had adopted a 'namaste' instead of shaking hands
While carrying out engagements over the past couple of weeks, the Prince has swapped hand shaking for a head bow and a "namaste." Upon arrival at the Prince's Trust Awards, Charles admitted he was struggling not to shake hands as coronavirus affected royal protocol. Charles extended his hand to greet John Booth, the chairman of the Trust, before withdrawing it at the last minute in mock horror and greeting him with a bow and "namaste". Turning to Dame Martina Milburn, the Trust's chief executive, Charles said: "It's just so hard to remember not to."
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Prince Charles' Balmoral home
© Photo: Getty ImagesCharles and the Queen in the garden of Birkhall in 2009
Charles inherited Birkhall on the Balmoral estate from his grandmother, the Queen Mother, when she died in 2002, and often spends summers there with Camilla. The couple even spent their honeymoon there in 2005, so it holds fond memories for them. Royal fans were given a fascinating look inside the 18th century property on the BBC documentary, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent New Year's Eve at Birkhall in 2011 - their first as a married couple.
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