Prince Charles contracting coronavirus was ‘one of the best things that could have happened’ because it’s made him more empathetic and boosted his social media following, a royal expert has claimed.
The Prince of Wales, 71, previously revealed he was ‘lucky’ to have experienced ‘relatively mild symptoms’ of Covid-19 after testing positive in March.
Last week he opened up about his brush with the deadly infection in an interview with Sky News for their series After The Pandemic: Our New World. He told royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills: ‘I was lucky in my case and got away with it quite lightly. But I’ve had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.’
He added: ‘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.’
The Prince of Wales, 71, said he was ‘lucky’ to have experienced ‘relatively mild symptoms’ of Covid-19 after testing positive in March
Royal biographer Penny Juror told The Sunday Times his battle with the virus means he is now ‘able to understand people going through terrible times’ and ‘show leadership’.
‘That he caught the virus is one of the best things that could have happened,’ she said.
‘It echoes the Queen Mother and King George VI being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the public during the Second World War after Buckingham Palace was bombed.’
She added that more people have ‘seen and listened’ to Charles during lockdown – and that he has used his platform well throughout the pandemic.
Royal biographer Penny Juror said Charles’ battle with the virus means he is now ‘able to understand people going through terrible times’ and ‘show leadership’
‘There are so many people who don’t really get Charles, who don’t know what he does,’ Juror explained.
‘But during the coronavirus, maybe because of the lockdown, more people have seen him and listened to him than perhaps they would during normal times.
‘The pandemic has given him a platform and he has been masterful in the way he’s responded and used that platform.’
Juror, author of Charles and Diana: Portrait of a Marriage, added that Charles’ social media posts are now reaching a far wider audience, and people are finally starting to understand ‘a bit more about who he is and what he does’.
Juror, author of Charles and Diana: Portrait of a Marriage, added that Charles’ social media posts are now reaching a far wider audience, and people are finally starting to understand ‘a bit more about who he is and what he does’
‘He is a king in waiting, that’s what he has shown himself to be,’ she added. ‘He’s ready, he has got everything his mother has.’
Charles’ first coronavirus post attracted nearly 850,000 likes from its 1.1 million followers – a significant jump from the usual 20,000 received by a Clarence House Instagram update.
As patron of Age UK, he shared a video message, filmed at his Birkhall home on the Balmoral estate, addressing the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the older members of the community.
In it, he described lockdown as a ‘strange, frustrating and often distressing experience’ and highlighted how this is an ‘unprecedented and anxious time in all our lives’.
Charles’ Zoom calls and photos of him working in his office at his ‘messy desk’ have also offered royal fans a refreshing insight into his life and work
Since beating the virus, Charles has shared an eclectic selection of social media posts championing causes close to his heart.
Last month he posted one of his favourite recipes for ‘cheesy baked eggs’ in a nod to British cheesemakers, and he marked VE Day by reading an extract from his grandfather George VI’s diary.
He highlighted his commitment to sustainability and the environment in April with a post dedicated to Earth Day, writing: ‘It is increasingly clear that when we care for our planet we fundamentally care for ourselves.’
Charles’ Zoom calls and photos of him working in his office at his ‘messy desk’ have also offered royal fans a new insight into his life and work.