Prince Charles has tested positive for Covid-19 for a second time and is now self-isolating, Clarence House has said.
In a tweet, it revealed that the 73-year-old prince had tested positive for the virus this morning and as result would be cancelling engagements in Winchester today.
The tweet said: "This morning The Prince of Wales has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now self-isolating.
"HRH is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend today's events in Winchester and will look to reschedule his visit as soon as possible."
Aides said the prince was found to be positive during a routine test – which suggested he was experiencing no strong symptoms – but they declined to go into further details on his medical condition.
Both he and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall have been taking regular tests before engagements - and it was later revealed Camilla, who is carrying out engagements in London today, had tested negative.
A spokesman referred questions about when Charles last met the Queen to Buckingham Palace.
The announcement of the prince’s positive test was made just after midday, around 12 minutes before Charles was due to arrive in Winchester on a visit to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Aides were only informed a few moments before.
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More than 1,000 people were gathered behind barriers in the city’s Jewry Street, waiting to see the prince unveil a new statue of Licoricia of Winchester, a prominent Jewish moneylender who was murdered in 1277 during a period of antisemitism in the reign of Edward I that culminated in the expulsion of Jews from England in 1290.
The Queen’s representative in Hampshire, the Lord Lieutenant Nigel Atkinson, told the crowd, who groaned with disappointment when he relayed the news.
Meanwhile, news of Charles' positive test comes just hours after he attended a black tie event held by the British Asian Trust at the British Museum last night and met scores of people.
At the event, which he attended with Camilla, he also gave a speech to 350 guests, which included Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Charles first tested positive for Covid at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
He only suffered mild symptoms and self-isolated at his Birkhall home on the royal Balmoral estate.
Speaking afterwards, he said: "I was lucky in my case... but I've had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through."
Both Charles and Camilla have had their Covid vaccines and boosters, and have campaigned to get other people to get protected.
In a joint statement released in December on the anniversary of the first ever Covid vaccination in the UK , they said: “To all those who have not yet had the vaccine - or are hesitating before getting a booster - we can only urge you to look at the evidence in our intensive care wards and listen to those who work there.
“We urge everyone to get vaccinated and to take up the booster, as we have done ourselves.”
The couple said: “It is the most enormous tribute to the remarkable ingenuity and determination of everyone involved that, one year after the first Covid-19 vaccination, more than a hundred million doses have now been delivered.
“We can only offer our most heartfelt thanks and congratulations to all the scientists, volunteers and workers across the NHS who have helped bring about this extraordinary achievement.
“And to all those who have not yet had the vaccine - or are hesitating before getting a booster - we can only urge you to look at the evidence in our intensive care wards and listen to those who work there.
“People who are unvaccinated are at least 10 times more likely to be hospitalised or die than those who have had two vaccine doses.
“That is why we urge everyone to get vaccinated and to take up the booster, as we have done ourselves.”
Prince William also had Covid during the pandemic, testing positive in April 2020. However he kept his illness secret.
According to reports, it was not revealed at the time as he didn't wish to cause alarm, saying "there were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone".
He was forced to self-isolate away from his family and struggled to breathe.
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