British Media Confirms Prince William Contracted COVID-19 Back in April
Early last spring, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, was diagnosed with COVID-19, keeping it a secret from his citizens.
British news outlet The Sun released its report on Prince William’s battle on Monday, and there have been varying reactions to the news. William contracted the illness around the same time as his father, Prince Charles, and the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. The reports come just as the United Kingdom is entering a second lockdown due to the rising number of cases. The U.K. has recently surpassed over 1 million cases, with more than 45 thousand deaths.
Prince William battled coronavirus in April https://t.co/FiB0lS1iE9 pic.twitter.com/5EHG8dhieN
— The Sun (@TheSun) November 1, 2020
When Prince Charles was diagnosed and Prime Minister Johnson was hospitalized, their battles with COVID-19 made international headlines. It comes as a surprise to many to learn that Prince William was ill with the virus. Sources shared with The Sun that William kept his diagnosis a secret to not worry citizens and to avoid panic. During the early months of this global pandemic, the causes, symptoms, and treatments for COVID-19 were all still being discovered. Concerns would have been high if both men were sick with the mysterious disease.
‘I kept my Covid secret because I didn’t want to alarm the nation’
— Paul Johnson (@paul__johnson) November 2, 2020
-Prince William
Well,
-There is a pandemic
-55k people have died
-Millions furloughed
-Millions in fear of future
-A nation locked down
Probably could have weathered the Royal family news
The story of William’s battle with COVID-19 began trending on Twitter with mixed opinions. Some admired the Royal family not announcing his illness, considering that the country was dealing with the economic fallout from the first lockdown and the rising death tolls. However, a similar theme from Britain was distrust. Social media users began to question the motive in keeping this information under wraps, what the reason for sharing it now is, and what else the Royal family could be hiding.
If the palace is prepared to LIE about an issue as serious as Prince William, second in line to the throne, contracting COVID-19 what else have they LIED about when questioned by the press and why should the media believe any denials going forward? This raises serious issues.
— Robert Jobson (@theroyaleditor) November 2, 2020
Prince William received treatment and continued to work during his self-isolation. Working via webcam, the Prince was still able to fulfill Royal duties, like opening Nightingale Hospital, all while having difficulty breathing. Knowing that a Royal had suffered from the disease might even highlight the seriousness of COVID-19.
Only time will show how the British will fare during their second lockdown. With businesses closing and people staying home again, Prime Minister Johnson warned of the effects of hunkering down again, both mentally and financially.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered England back into a national lockdown after the UK passed the milestone of 1 million COVID-19 cases and a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the health service https://t.co/jcKWrVn6fA pic.twitter.com/xZSFthLS7T
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 31, 2020
To learn more about COVID-19 and what you can do to help slow the spread, check here.