Prince Charles returns to work despite positive test

The Prince of Wales is back at his desk working a day after it was revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus, Clarence House has said.

Charles is conducting meetings by phone as he recovers from the virus and is mirroring other members of the monarchy who are using a combination of video conferencing and calls to carry out royal duties.

Scotland’s chief medical officer has again defended the decision to test the heir to the throne for coronavirus, saying there were “very good reasons” behind the move.

Charles is self-isolating at his home at Birkhall, in Aberdeenshire, while his wife the Duchess of Cornwall is living separately from her husband in the property after she tested negative for Covid-19.

A Clarence House spokesman declined to give an update on Charles’ health status after it was announced on Wednesday he had tested positive for coronavirus.

But he said the prince was working at his desk as usual and had received hundreds of “get well soon” wishes sent to him at Clarence House – a mixture of cards, but mostly digital messages.

Speaking about Charles on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s chief medical officer, said: “I have spoken to the team in Grampian who were looking after the individual.

“My understanding is there were very good reasons for that person and his wife to be tested, and obviously I wouldn’t be able to disclose anything else because of patient confidentiality.”

Clarence House said on Wednesday that Charles had been displaying “mild symptoms” of the illness.