The Duke of York has tested positive for Covid and will no longer attend the Queen’s jubilee service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, Buckingham Palace said.
A palace spokesperson said: “After undertaking a routine test the duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow’s service.”
It is understood Andrew saw the Queen in the last few days but has been doing regular testing, and has not seen her since he tested positive. The Queen, 96, tested positive for Covid in February and later said it left her exhausted.
Andrew had been expected to join the family at the event despite not being invited to the trooping the colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade on Thursday. He didn’t join other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the RAF flypast afterwards either.
The Queen decided in advance that only working royals would be on the balcony. Andrew has been stripped of his HRH title, royal patronages and affiliations after paying millions to settle a civil case in the US brought by Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by the paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, and who accused the prince of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The duke denied the claims.
He stepped down from public life after a disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview over his friendship with Epstein.
