THE Queen said Covid left her "very tired and exhausted", as she spoke with a former virus patient who lost his brother & father to the illness.
The monarch tested positive for Covid in February and – despite having what Buckingham Palace said were "mild cold-like symptoms" – was determined to carry out what duties she could.
She later overcame her bout of the virus and described the experience during a virtual visit to the Royal London Hospital on Wednesday.
She officially marked the opening of the medical institution's Queen Elizabeth Unit.
During her video call with workers and medical staff, the Queen listened to their stories of coping with the huge influx of Covid patients, and was told by one senior nurse "we held their hands, we wiped their tears and we provided comfort".
Around 800 people from across north-east London were treated at the 155-bed Queen Elizabeth Unit, built in five weeks to meet the demand from the virus instead of the normal time period of five months.
Read our Royal Family live blog below for the latest updates…
- Joseph Gamp
Queen reveals Covid left her feeling 'very tired' during virtual hospital visit (1/2)
The Queen has spoken about her bout of Covid, saying it left her "very tired and exhausted", as she sympathised with a former virus patient who lost his brother and father to the illness.
The monarch tested positive for Covid in February and, despite having what Buckingham Palace said were "mild cold-like symptoms", was determined to carry out what duties she could.
She later overcame her bout of the virus and described the experience during a virtual visit to the Royal London Hospital on Wednesday.
She offically marked the opening of the medical institution's Queen Elizabeth Unit.
During her video call with workers and medical staff, the Queen listened to their stories of coping with the huge influx of Covid patients.
She was told by one senior nurse "we held their hands, we wiped their tears and we provided comfort".
Around 800 people from across north-east London were treated at the 155-bed Queen Elizabeth Unit, built in five weeks to meet the demand instead of the normal time period of five months, and the Queen hailed the Dunkirk spirit that inspired the construction team.
- Joseph Gamp
Revealed: William and Kate’s friendship with the Beckham family
Prince William and Kate were always Beckham’s choice rather than Prince Harry and Meghan considering their strong friendship with the Royal couple for years.
A close source to the Beckham family said: “David’s attachment and history go back with William and Kate and they have a very strong relationship and they were their choice of wedding guests.
“It was always about them, it was never about Meghan and Harry.”
The source added: “They are the people David and Victoria are attached to and it’s always been about them because they’ve had a long history together.”
David and Victoria Beckham have attended both Prince’s weddings in the past.
- Joseph Gamp
The ULTIMATE Platinum Jubilee coin
You can get your hands on the ultimate Platinum Jubilee coin, which features a one-of-a-kind portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
To celebrate this astonishing achievement, The Ultimate Platinum Jubilee Coin has been issued and is available today for free, but you’ve just got to pay £2.50 postage.
Never before in British history has a monarch marked their Platinum Jubilee – so order this coin quickly as we’re sure it’s going to sell out quickly!
Get your hands on one here.
- Joseph Gamp
Princess Royal pays tribute to Australian victims of bushfires & floods
The Princess Royal continued her Australian tour by meeting with the families of two firefighters who died in the country's devastating Black Summer bushfires.
The days of heavy rain which had been lashing Sydney and the east coast abated to provide Anne, who is Down Under to celebrate her mother's Platinum Jubilee, with mostly blue skies and sun for day two of her visit.
The Queen's eldest daughter ditched the more formal attire of the day prior in favour of slacks and a jacket to visit the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) headquarters in Sydney on Sunday with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
Volunteer firefighters Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O'Dwyer, 36, had been battling the fires south west of Sydney in December 2019 when a tree caused their fire truck to roll.
Due to each man leaving behind a young child, a fire truck-themed memorial playground had been built in their honour in the region where they lived and died.
On Sunday, the princess travelled to the playground in Buxton, some 62 miles south west of Sydney, to visit the site.
- Joseph Gamp
JJ Chalmers says he 'wouldn't be here' without Prince harry
TV presenter JJ Chalmers has said the Duke of Sussex is "one of the key people who created one of the key catalysts in my recovery" and he would not be here today if it were not for his friend.
The former Strictly Come Dancing star, who was injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011 while serving as a Royal Marine, said he is "forever grateful" to Harry.
Chalmers, who has taken part in the Invictus Games, the sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service personnel founded by Harry and who now serves as a commentator, told the Big Issue magazine: "I listened to the royal wedding, William's wedding (to Kate Middleton in 2011), on a wind-up radio in Afghanistan.
!Seven years later, I was at a royal wedding (of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex).
"How that happened is utterly bizarre. Harry's a friend of mine and someone I dearly love and wish the best for. I wouldn't be here talking to you if it wasn't for him.
"Not to lay all of it at his feet, but he's one of the key people who created one of the key catalysts in my recovery. For that, I'll be forever grateful."
- Joseph Gamp
Could Meghan ever return to the UK?
It has been claimed by a royal correspondent that people in royal circles are unsure whether Meghan Markle will ever return to the UK.
Speaking to Royal Roundup’s host Pandora Forsyth, Richard Palmer said: “She’s cutting ties with British charities, there’s only one left now, Smart Works.
“Perhaps that patronage continues, I don’t know.
“The hardened fact is in all of this is she and Harry are based in the States.”
He continued to say: “Formally, they remain residents in the UK but people inside the royal circles are really not sure whether we’ll ever see Meghan ever again in the UK. “
- Louis Allwood
Camilla’s favourite BBC programme
Royal expert Neil Sean discussed the royals’ love the Strictly on his YouTube channel, and how Camilla “bores” Charles with her weekly Strictly updates.
Mr Sean said: “Camilla is a huge fan of the hit TV show, Strictly Come Dancing.
“I know over in America and I think it may be that title in various parts of the world… but over here we call it Strictly Come Dancing.
“It is the Autumn number one show on the British broadcasting corporation.”
He added: “Camilla has been a fan for so many year.
“Apparently she actually sort of could we say almost bores Prince Charles with her analogies of who’s doing well and who’s not doing well on a weekly basis.”
- Louis Allwood
Royal congratulations
Prince William and Kate Middleton have congratulated Sam Waley-Cohen after he won the Grand National.
In a pulsating finish against favourite 15-2 Any Second Now, Waley-Cohen, who is CEO of a dental care company, kept finding more and more on the horse owned by his dad Robert.
It is a miracle end to the career of 39-year-old Waley-Cohen, who announced earlier this week he was retiring after this race.
- Louis Allwood
Princess Anne kicks off Australian tour
Princess Anne has kicked off her three-day visit of Australia by opening the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Princess Anne first opened the Easter-themed event back in 1970.
The Royal Family member was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony for the event as it celebrated its 200th anniversary on Saturday.
The Princess Royal viewed stands and displays ahead of a planned dinner at Sydney Olympic Park.
- Louis Allwood
Prince William's future plans
Prince William is understood to be looking ahead following the Caribbean tour.
Sources claim the royal has laid out a "blueprint" for his future as the king – and believes the royals must be "agile" to survive.
He called a crisis meeting with top aides following criticism of the tour, which left the couple "bruised".
The trip — the first of the Platinum Jubilee — was organised between Kensington Palace and the governments of Belize, Jamaica and Bahamas.
But it was mired in anti-royal protests and social media scorn.
It's understood that even before the visit, Wills was planning a royal revolution that will see him tearing up the rulebook and running affairs "the Cambridge way".
He will ditch the long-held policy of "never complain, never explain" and wield the hatchet as he cuts down the number of aides he works with.
The Cambridges will also employ a small staff working on “comfortable and credible” good causes — five or six in total.
There will also be shorter solo trips such as Kate’s well-received recent visit to Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Louis Allwood
Photographer ordered not to take photos of the Queen at memorial service
A photographer has said he was told not to take photos of the monarch until she was seated.
Speaking to The Times, the only official photographer at the service spoke of how he was told he couldn’t take a photo
Richard Pohle spoke of how he informed Palace officials that he would “absolutely need to photograph” as this was “now the major news event”.of the queen until she was seated.
It seems he was fine with this but stated that “everything changed” when he realised Prince Andrew would be the one to accompany the 95-year-old.
This was the first time Prince Andrew had been seen in public since he stepped back from public duties after settling a sexual abuse case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre.
- Louis Allwood
Royal family latest
- An inquiry has begun after official documents about what will happen when the Queen dies were leaked by the Welsh government.
- The fifth season of the crown is set to return to our screens in November this year and producers are on the hunt for someone to play Kate Middleton .
- To mark the Queen’s Platinum jubilee, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead plan to light up Windsor and Eton Bridge.
Here’s what the Queen’s corgis eat
WE all know that the Queen has loved corgis since she was a child.
Her beloved dogs have played a huge part in her life and as you can probably expect, they live a pampered befitting of a royal pet.
Darren McGrady, who worked for the royals for 15 years and cooked at Buckingham Palace, Sandringham and Balmoral, has revealed the royal dog diet is very well thought out.
Darren shared that while Her Majesty eats whatever she desires, her corgis have their food menu composed by canine experts a month in advance.
Darren told GB News, “The Queen didn’t have any advisers at all. I think the only real advisers were actually on the corgi menu.
“She would actually have people advising on what they’re having, whether that was lamb, chicken, liver or beef.”
Previously, Darren revealed on YouTube: “I didn’t expect to be cooking for the Queen’s dogs, when I started working at Buckingham Palace.
“The corgis had their own menu. I thought I was going to be cooking for kings, queens and presidents.
“I did eventually, but one of the first jobs I had was cooking for the corgis.
“Making fresh food everyday, their own menu.”
The Queen is still frail but going strong
95-years-old is more than many of us could imagine for ourselves, but the Queen appears to be doing well.
Having beaten COVID earlier this year after apparently catching it from her eldest son, the monarch went on to pay tribute at her late husband’s memorial service last week.
The number of in-person audiences held by HRH have reduced significantly and more of her royal duties have been shared amongst those closest to her.
With that said, it looks likely the longest reigning English monarch is set to see her Platinum Jubilee year through to the end.
Former Met Police security detail says Harry faces greater risk in Holland than London
Former Met Inspector Ken Wharfe said the potential risks of Harry’s appearance at the games is a far bigger risk than if he’d attended his grandfather’s funeral.
Mr Wharfe told MailOnline: “I’m baffled about why Harry thinks he would be safer in the Netherlands than in the UK.
“He would have travelled to his grandfather’s memorial service with his brother or father and received protection from the Met.
“It’s not like he would have been turning up at Westminster Abbey on a bike.”
- Louis Allwood
Will and Harry are still tight, but Harry’s cutting it close
Charles and Will were reportedly angry with Harry for ‘putting words in their mouths’.
Harry and Meghan were famously interviewed by Oprah last year during which Harry spoke of feeling trapped.
Referring to his father and brother and their line to the throne he said: “My father and my brother are trapped. They don’t get to leave, and I have huge compassion for that.”
However, royal expert and biographer, Robert Jobson disagrees.
Speaking on podcast, Royally US, Jobson said: “I think Harry was putting words into his father and his brother’s mouths, and maybe making an assessment based upon his feelings.
“They were both very angry about that, both Charles and William. I don’t think it’s true, I don’t think he felt trapped in any way.”
- Louis Allwood
Meghan ‘a figure of fun’ by hometown novelist
MEGHAN Markle has been branded a “figure of fun” in her hometown a novelist – who, despite this, says Hollywood has turned its back on the royal couple.
Novelist Celia Walden spoke to GB News’ Dan Wootton and said: “I thought maybe people would be protective of her out here, but not at all.
“She’s just a figure of fun and the crucial misstep she made is forgetting that the whole of the US love the Queen. So, anyone who is deemed to have affronted the Queen, or behaved badly in that regard, is just not going to go down well.”
- Louis Allwood
Meghan could make political career a reality
Meghan has long had her eyes set on a political career after quitting acting and the Royal Family, it has been claimed.
And a flat close to the action could make her dream a reality.
US politicians first seriously floated the idea in 2020 when Meghan described the battle between Donald Trump and Joe Biden as “the most important election of our lifetime” – before she became the first member of the Royal Family to vote in a major election.
Mike Trujillo, a prominent Democratic strategist, then said in February 2021 that she was more than putting her toe in the water.
He told The Times: “Once your toe is in the water your whole foot is in and next thing you know you are knee-deep and then you are fully in.”
The duchess slowly started building links to members of the Democratic Party in the months that followed to “accelerate” her position.
At the very top of her list of contacts was Michelle Obama, who was First Lady to President Barack Obama, from 2008 to 2016.
- Louis Allwood
Camilla’s favourite BBC programme
Royal expert Neil Sean discussed the royals’ love the Strictly on his YouTube channel, and how Camilla “bores” Charles with her weekly Strictly updates.
Mr Sean said: “Camilla is a huge fan of the hit TV show, Strictly Come Dancing.
“I know over in America and I think it may be that title in various parts of the world… but over here we call it Strictly Come Dancing.
“It is the Autumn number one show on the British broadcasting corporation.”
He added: “Camilla has been a fan for so many year.
“Apparently she actually sort of could we say almost bores Prince Charles with her analogies of who’s doing well and who’s not doing well on a weekly basis.”
- Louis Allwood
Former Met Police security detail says Harry faces greater risk in Holland than London
Former Met Inspector Ken Wharfe said the potential risks of Harry’s appearance at the games is a far bigger risk than if he’d attended his grandfather’s funeral.
Mr Wharfe told MailOnline: “I’m baffled about why Harry thinks he would be safer in the Netherlands than in the UK.
“He would have travelled to his grandfather’s memorial service with his brother or father and received protection from the Met.
“It’s not like he would have been turning up at Westminster Abbey on a bike.”
Credit: Reuters - Louis Allwood
Royal congratulations
Prince William and Kate Middleton have congratulated Sam Waley-Cohen after he won the Grand National.
In a pulsating finish against favourite 15-2 Any Second Now, Waley-Cohen, who is CEO of a dental care company, kept finding more and more on the horse owned by his dad Robert.
It is a miracle end to the career of 39-year-old Waley-Cohen, who announced earlier this week he was retiring after this race.
- Louis Allwood
Princess Anne kicks off Australian tour
Princess Anne has kicked off her three-day visit of Australia by opening the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Princess Anne first opened the Easter-themed event back in 1970.
The Royal Family member was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony for the event as it celebrated its 200th anniversary on Saturday.
The Princess Royal viewed stands and displays ahead of a planned dinner at Sydney Olympic Park.
- Louis Allwood
Queen pays emotional tribute to 'legacy' of Philip
The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family have paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Prince Philip.
Today marked the anniversary of his death.
The official Instagram account for the Royal Family shared a poem by poet laureate Simon Armitage, entitled ‘The Patriarchs – An Elegy’.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)
- Louis Allwood
McIlroy advised Harry over “cultural differences” after marrying Meghan in 2018 interview
Golfing star Rory McIlroy advised Prince Harry that there would be “cultural differences” between him and Meghan Markle after he was requested to provide the royal with advice during a 2018 interview.
McIlroy is currently participating in the Masters where he hopes to take home the famous Green Jacket.
According to the Daily Express, he was asked in 2018 if he had any advice for Prince Harry, as he worked alongside Meghan Markle once.
Just days after the royal wedding, he stated at the BMW PGA Championship that: “I obviously know Meghan a little bit but then how do you answer a question like that because there are clearly cultural differences as there is between Erica and myself.
“There would be cultural differences for Prince Harry even if he married someone from Britain and as was the case with his brother, Prince William, just because of how he grew-up.”
- Louis Allwood
Could Meghan ever return to the UK?
It has been claimed by a royal correspondent that people in royal circles are unsure whether Meghan Markle will ever return to the UK.
Speaking to Royal Roundup’s host Pandora Forsyth, Richard Palmer said: “She’s cutting ties with British charities, there’s only one left now, Smart Works.
“Perhaps that patronage continues, I don’t know.
“The hardened fact is in all of this is she and Harry are based in the States.”
He continued to say: “Formally, they remain residents in the UK but people inside the royal circles are really not sure whether we’ll ever see Meghan ever again in the UK. “
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