Britain’s Prince William contracted Covid-19 in April, according to British media

British Prince William contracted COVID-19 in April at the same time as his father Prince Charles, British media reported late on Sunday, citing Kensington Palace sources.

William, grandson of Queen Elizabeth and second-in-command of the British throne, kept his diagnosis a secret because he did not want to alert the country, The Sun reported.

“There were important things going on and I did not want to worry about anyone,” William quoted the newspaper as saying to an observer at an engagement.

He was treated by palace doctors and followed government guidelines by isolating in the family home Anmer Hall in Norfolk, the newspaper said, adding that he still completed 14 phone and video call commitments during April.

“William was hit pretty hard by the virus – it really knocked him out for six. At one point he was struggling to breathe, so of course everyone around him was pretty panicked,” a source told The Sun.

The BBC also confirmed the news from sources late on Sunday, with Kensington Palace and Prince William’s office officially refusing to comment on the news release.

The castle was not immediately available for comment late Sunday.

The residence of William’s father, Prince Charles, had said on March 25 that Charles tested positive for coronavirus. The heir to the throne had isolated himself at his residence in Scotland for seven days with mild symptoms.

The UK has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak and has reported 46,717 COVID-19 deaths – defined as those who die within 28 days of a positive test. A broader scale for those with COVID-19 on their death certificates puts the toll at 58,925.

(REUTERS)