Queen Consort Camilla has tested positive for Covid-19 and has cancelled all public engagements for this week, Buckingham Palace said on Monday.
The wife of Britain's King Charles III had already pulled out of appointments scheduled for Tuesday because of what was initially described as “seasonal illness”.
“After suffering the symptoms of a cold, her majesty The Queen Consort has tested positive for the Covid virus,” said the palace statement.
“With regret, she has therefore cancelled all her public engagements for this week and sends her sincere apologies to those who had been due to attend them.”
On Wednesday, the royal couple were due to host a reception at Clarence House to celebrate the second anniversary of her online book club The Reading Room with authors and members of literacy charities.
The following day they were scheduled to attend a reception at Milton Keynes to celebrate it being awarded city status as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee celebrations.
The queen consort had already pulled out of a visit to a school in Birmingham and a library in Telford, Shropshire, which were lined up for Tuesday.
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Actor Will Sharpe meets King Charles at the Buckingham Palace reception. Reuters -
King Charles meets Oliver Kendal and Joshua Carrot, also known as YouTubers the Korean Englishmen, at the reception. Reuters -
King Charles meets Enkhjargal Danzanbaljir, president of the Association for the Development of Mongolian Women in Europe, at a Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the king and Queen Consort Camilla to celebrate the contribution to Britain by East and South-East Asian communities, on February 1. Reuters -
Dashzeveg Tserenbat meets King Charles at the reception. Reuters -
King Charles with representatives of Britain's East and South-East Asian communities at Buckingham Palace. Reuters -
Queen Consort Camilla greets a guest at the reception. AP -
Princess Royal Anne also greeted guests at the reception on February 1. PA -
Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, at the reception. PA -
King Charles hosts members of Britain's East and South-East Asian communities. PA -
Queen Consort Camilla poses with two guests at the reception. PA -
Queen Consort Camilla with a guest. PA -
Queen Consort Camilla with women from Britain's East and South-East Asian communities at Buckingham Palace. PA -
Queen Consort Camilla with women from Britain's East and South-East Asian communities at Buckingham Palace. PA -
Queen Consort Camilla with women from Britain's East and South-East Asian communities at Buckingham Palace. PA -
King Charles with Will Sharpe. AP -
Princess Royal Anne and Prince Edward chat at the reception. AP -
King Charles shares a joke with guests at the Buckingham Palace reception. AP -
King Charles meets TV presenter and fashion designer Alexa Chung, and Dominic Chung, at the reception. AP -
Queen Consort Camilla chats with reception guests. PA -
King Charles meets fashion designer John Rocha at Buckingham Palace. PA
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the queen consort was suffering from a “seasonal illness” and it was hoped new dates could be found soon for the postponed events.
A few hours later, the Covid result was announced and all this week's appointments cancelled.
The queen consort caught Covid early last year and had to cancel her appearance at a number of events.
Princess Anne deputised for her at the Cheltenham Festival last March. The queen consort also missed a Commonwealth event.
