Duchess of Cambridge self-isolates after COVID contact

5 July 2021

The Duchess of Cambridge is self-isolating at home after coming into contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19.

The Duchess of Cambridge

The 39-year-old royal - who has Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three, with Prince William - was scheduled to attend a service at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the work of the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic, but those plans have now been cancelled and the duchess has gone into self-isolation.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "Last week the Duchess of Cambridge came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. Her Royal Highness is not experiencing any symptoms, but is following all relevant government guidelines and is self-isolating at home."

The duchess was last seen in public at Wimbledon, where she toured the iconic sporting venue and then watched a match alongside former British number one Tim Henman.

The royal is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, but she's now likely to be absent from the men's and women's final.

The duchess has already received two doses of the COVID vaccine and does not have any symptoms of the virus at the moment.

She took lateral flow tests before visiting Wimbledon, having previously watched England's win over Germany at Euro 2020.

Last year, it was revealed that Prince William tested positive for the virus during the early stages of the pandemic.

The prince kept his diagnosis private to avoid alarming the nation.

Prince Charles was also diagnosed with the illness around the same time, and he subsequently admitted he "got away with it quite lightly".

He shared: "I was lucky in my case ... but I've had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through."

The future monarch also expressed sympathy with those who had lost family or friends during the crisis.

He said: "I feel particularly for those who have lost their loved ones and have been unable to be with them at the time. That, to me, is the most ghastly thing."