Prince William Was Insistent on Keeping His COVID-19 Diagnosis under Wraps, Source Claims

Prince William tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year but refused to allow the palace to announce his diagnosis the way they did for his father, Prince Charles.

The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this year. According to reports, his diagnosis happened around April, shortly after his father Prince Charles came out with his.

Unlike his father, William chose not to make headlines with his health and quietly self-isolated at their country home in Anmer Hall in Norfolk, England, which was gifted to him and Kate by the Queen.

The duke reportedly followed safety precautions strictly and managed to get some work done while he quarantined in a section of the house. A royal source revealed to US Weekly William’s decision to keep his diagnosis private. The insider said:

“William insisted on keeping this low-key. Only a handful of family members, senior royal staff and close friends knew about it at the time.”

William’s decision to keep his health status private caused a ruckus among the British media who accused Kensignton Palace of hoarding such vital information and lying to them.

However, a former butler of Prince Charles, Grant Harrold, believes that something else might be why William kept his diagnosis quiet.

While it isn’t sure what Prince William chose to hide his diagnosis, there are speculations that his decision was to protect the nation from going hysterical about the line of succession.

In the event that he and Prince Charles succumbed to the virus, Prince George would be next in line to the throne. Given that George is underaged, it is likely that Prince Harry could take over until his nephew turns 18 in accordance with the Regency Act 1937.

It is believed that William’s team in the palace was trying to avoid the public from making such speculations about his health. However, a former butler of Prince Charles, Grant Harrold, believes that something else might be why William kept his diagnosis quiet.

Harrold thinks that William wanted to protect his brother Harry from public scrutiny as he might step in as a regent for Prince George. Luckily, the Duke of Cambridge fared well and recovered from the disease.

On Wednesday, November 4, the father-of-three made his first public appearance since his secret diagnosis was disclosed. William delivered a speech at a Fire Fighters Charity Award ceremony.

He was seen in a pre-recorded clip where he addressed mental health challenges faced by workers amid the ongoing pandemic. He urged them to take their mental health seriously and know where to get help from before presenting an award to Shilla Patel for her excellence in the field of mental health.

The appearance at the ceremony comes after the Cambridges’ social media accounts made heartwarming updates to their page to commemorate Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day.

Prince William and Kate’s Kensington Palace Twitter and Instagram pages changed to a new image of the couple laying a wreath at the Manchester Cenotaph in 2016. Other royal family members like the Clarence House for Prince Charles and Camilla have followed suit with other touching pictures.