It was inevitable that the coronavirus would hit a royal household, but it was a question of when, where, who, and how. Reports have surfaced that Archduke of Austria Karl von Habsburg has contracted and tested positive for the disease.
Karl is 59 and revealed his condition while calling into a program on Austrian TV channel oe24. He said that his flu-like symptoms began a week ago, per People magazine:
“It’s annoying, but I’m fine. It’s not the Black Plague. 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. I have to expressly praise the Austrian authorities because they act with measure and aim. Panic mood is not appropriate.”
Karl isn’t the only royal to face this question. Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia have recently been tested. Queen Elizabeth is reportedly seeking refuge in Windsor Castle, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle both made it back to Canada ahead of the closure of the country’s borders.
The Austrian archduke also shared, "I thought it was the usual flu. When a friend called me to say that he had a positive test at a congress in Switzerland, so I was also tested." He added that he is currently "completely alone at home" and that "I have a friend who puts groceries at my door every two days."
King Felipe and Queen Letizia decided to get tested for the virus after meeting with Minister of Equality Irene Montero, who tested positive. They revealed that the results of their test were negative and issued a statement that reads:
“Based on the recent public activities of HM the Queen and the information transmitted by the Government, as a preventive measure indicated by the health authorities, their Majesties have carried out the corresponding COVID detection test this morning.”
This news comes amid reports that Queen Elizabeth has canceled public engagements, a decision that the 93-year-old monarch likely did not make lightly. Yesterday Buckingham Palace issued a statement that reads:
“As a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances, changes are being made to the Queen’s diary commitments in the coming weeks. In consultation with the Medical Household and Government, Her Majesty’s forthcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden will be rescheduled. Audiences will continue as usual. Other events will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice.”
Prince Harry also had to rush to make it back to Canada to be with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their son, Archie, before the country closed its borders. The two had just completed their final appearances as senior members of the royal family. One of their events included an outing for the Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
Additional events have been canceled due to the Queen's decision. Prince Charles and Camilla have also canceled an upcoming series of trips, and the Earl of Wessex postponed two engagements that were meant to take place yesterday. The family has not released details of any future events that may be postponed or canceled.
The coronavirus has also impacted the royal family of Denmark. The family of five recently returned from Switzerland, where their three children were studying at Lemania-Verbier International School. The family had only just moved to Switzerland in January and were planning to stay for the duration of the 12-week program.
The Danish royal court issued a statement explaining what changed:
“In light of the worsening situation in Denmark in connection with the handling of the spread of COVID-19, the Crown Prince couple has decided that the family will leave home from Switzerland. The Crown Prince couple find it most natural to return home and stand with the Danes in a time that requires a lot of everyone and where there is a shared responsibility for looking after each other.”
