Queen Elizabeth Spotted for the First Time Since COVID Diagnosis

By Allison Schonter

Queen Elizabeth II is back to work following her COVID-19 diagnosis. The 95-year-old monarch, who has been recovering at Windsor Castle after being diagnosed with coronavirus earlier this month, on Tuesday held two virtual audiences after more than a week of experiencing "mild cold-like symptoms." The two virtual audiences marked the first time Her Majesty has been seen since her diagnosis.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the British monarch held virtual sessions with the ambassadors of Chad and Andorra. In a statement, the Palace said "today The Queen held Audiences with incoming Ambassadors via video link from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace." The official Twitter account for the British royals also shared images from the meetings, showing the two ambassadors speaking with the Queen, who called in via video from Windsor Castle. Further details about the meetings and the Queen's health were not provided.

The virtual audiences came after the palace announced on Feb. 20 that the Queen tested positive for the virus. A spokesperson confirmed that Her Majesty, who is both vaccinated and boosted, was "experiencing mild cold-like symptoms." The Palace said the Queen would "continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week" and would "continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines." Her diagnosis followed that of her son, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

Amid her diagnosis, the Queen canceled several virtual audiences, including scheduled engagements on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. A palace spokesperson said in a statement that the Queen was "still experiencing mild cold like symptoms" and decided it best "not to undertake her planned virtual engagements." The statement added that she would "continue with light duties," likely referring to her head of state responsibilities, including reading and answering documents and letters. She did, however, hold her weekly audience by telephone with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The first signs that the Queen was well on her way to making a full recovery surfaced on Monday, when numerous outlets reported the Queen spent time in-person with family. According to those reports, the Queen on Sunday met with Princess Beatrice and her baby daughter Sienna, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton's three children at Frogmore House in the Windsor Estate. Although the palace has not provided day-to-day updates on her health, sources claimed the Queen was making a "good recovery."

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