Prince Albert of Monaco Tests Positive for Coronavirus, First Head of State to Do So
Monaco’s Prince Albert II has tested positive for coronavirus.
The 62-year-old prince was tested on Monday morning, according to palace sources, and results were confirmed on Wednesday.
The father of 5-year-old twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella’s state of health is not a source of concern, according to a statement from the palace.
Prince Albert, who has been very visibly leading the country’s task force efforts, is being closely followed by his attending physician and specialists from the Princess Grace Hospital Center.
He continues to work from his private apartments in the palace and remains in permanent contact with his cabinet.
Karl von Habsburg, the Archduke of Austria, was the first known royal to test positive for coronavirus. The 59-year-old head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine called into Austrian TV channel oe24, revealing he experienced flu-like symptoms more than a week ago.
“It’s annoying, but I’m fine. It’s not the Black Plague,” von Habsburg said. “I thought it was the usual flu. When a friend called me that he had a positive test at a congress in Switzerland, I was also tested.”
Queen Elizabeth continued to hold audiences at Buckingham Palace until Wednesday, but she has now moved to Windsor Castle, 30 miles west of London.
Amid the warnings from the U.K. government that people should avoid gatherings with friends and family, as well as large gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theaters, it became inevitable that the springtime celebrations with the Queen at their center would be shelved. Her annual garden parties, along with a number of other events, have been called off for the time being.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.
