Does the Queen have Covid? Palace’s dilemma on whether to break news to the public

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The Duke had fallen ill not long after his father’s first bout of Covid, but did not release the news via his press office because “there were important things going on and I didn’t want to worry anyone”.

On Friday, as the Duke flew home from Dubai, Kensington Palace similarly declined to reveal whether the Duchess of Cambridge had taken a Covid-19 test after spending the day with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall six days before his diagnosis.

Neither the Queen nor the Duchesses have pre-announced public engagements in the diary that would require cancellation should they fall ill.

Reaching out to a caring public

If palace aids are so minded, the Queen – safe within a bubble of discreet friends and aides – could test positive for coronavirus and the public will never know.

However, while human decency dictates that they are not drawn into fueling lurid “Fears for Queen’s health” stories, it is not just a matter of public nosiness if the functioning of the state is in question.

Not only that, but the public cares. Just as they would like to know whether their own mother or grandmother was suffering a cold, they will not be able to rest easy until the Queen is safely out of the Covid-19 danger zone.

“Rumour and misinformation always thrives in the absence of proper, accurate and trustworthy information,” said Witchell last October.

It is as true now as it was then. The Queen and her aides may not want to worry anyone. But the public, holding its breath for the monarch as she begins her Platinum Jubilee year, are worrying nonetheless.

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