Prince Albert of Monaco opens up about his coronavirus diagnosis: 'The doctors are satisfied for now'
Prince Albert of Monaco, who tested positive for the coronavirus, is speaking out about his health.
“A little news. Condition unchanged. Little fever, little cough,” the 62-year-old told People in an exclusive interview Saturday. “Vital signs all good. The doctors are satisfied for now.”
A royal source told the outlet there’s been “incredible” feedback through “thousands and thousands of messages” sent to the prince. “They have come from virtually everywhere,” said the source. “They are messages of hope, concern, just a huge feeling from all over the world and from all walks of life, from regular people who’ve met him, from celebrities and Presidents.”
The country of Monaco has 11 confirmed coronavirus cases with zero deaths, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.
Per CNN, a Thursday statement announcing the test results confirmed that Albert’s health "is not worrying at all” and that he is staying his private residents and office. "His Serene Highness urges the people of Monaco to respect the measures of confinement and to limit contact with others to a minimum," the statement read. "Only the strict observance of these confinement measures will make it possible to stop the spread of the coronavirus."
On Thursday, Prince Albert told People that he was “feeling okay,” adding, “My symptoms are flu-like, but it feels like a pretty mild case. I’ve [got] a slight fever, not really that bad. A little bit of a cough. I’d a runny nose the first few days, that was the first sign. I’ve felt a little stuffed up but that’s it.”
The prince shared with People that he could not trace the path of the infection. “...It could have been from a number of other people,” he said Thursday. “For weeks now I’ve tried to be cautious, using hand sanitizers and all that, but you never know. I could’ve caught it talking to someone from less than three or even four feet away, and it could have happened at any point in the last 10 days or so. You never know.”
The royal added that he took his test anonymously because, “I didn’t want them to treat me any differently than anyone else. There are cases more severe than mine which needed to be tested, so I didn’t want them putting me on top of the pile.”
Prince Albert is married to Charline, Princess of Monaco and the two share 5-year-old twins Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier. His mother was the late actress Grace Kelly.
During his Thursday People interview, Prince Albert urged people to “Follow instructions. Don’t mess around with this. This virus is serious and the propagation is very serious. It can hit anyone of any age group at anytime.”
“Look, we’re going to get through this,” he told the outlet. “It’s going to take awhile. But everyone has to follow the recommendations. Yes, it’s a nuisance and yes, being confined is very limiting — but it’s the only way to stop the spread of this virus.”
Members of royal families have also spoken out during the crisis. On Friday night, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared mental health resources for those staying inside to contain the coronavirus. And Queen Elizabeth of England, who retreated to Windsor Castle with husband Prince Philip said on Instagram, “At times such as these, I am reminded that our nation’s history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one, concentrating our combined efforts with a focus on the common goal.”
On Thursday, Kate Middleton and Prince William visited emergency workers in the U.K. to thank them for their service.
For the latest news on the evolving coronavirus outbreak, follow along here. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC and WHO’s resource guides.
