Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne's Husband, Tests Positive For Covid

Dec 23, 2021 by apost team

Sir Timothy Lawrence, Princess Anne's husband, has tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of Christmas plans with Queen Elizabeth in December 2021. This year's Christmas plans had taken a major turn already as the queen has had to deal with multiple health concerns in the last few months. 

It has been reported that Anne and Timothy will be self-isolating in their Gloucestershire home for the next ten days. It is likely that the queen will be spending her Christmas without her daughter and son-in-law this year. 

On Monday, Dec. 20, 2021 multiple outlets reported that the queen would depart from tradition for the second year in a row, opting to celebrate Christmas at Windsor Castle rather than at Sandringham House in Norfolk. According to The Guardian, the queen’s decision was “a personal one taken after careful consideration,” which “reflected her precautionary approach during the pandemic.”

Last year, the queen spent Christmas in isolation with Philip — the first time in more than three decades that the monarch was not with family in Norfolk. 

Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip's only daughter, Anne, has led a quiet and more private life than many of her nieces and nephews. On her social media accounts, she mostly shares formal photos and pre-approved stories, which means that it's not all that common for the public to get a glimpse into her life.

We hope that Timothy will have a speedy recovery. Read on to know more about how the queen's Christmas plans have been affected by the current Omicron variant of the coronavirus and her health problems. 

Evening Standard UK reported that Timothy tested positive for covid earlier this week and that it is unlikely that Anne will be spending Christmas in Windsor Castle with her mother. 

It was previously reported that the 95-year-old monarch, who lost her husband in April 2021, will not spend the holidays alone this year, however. The Guardian further reported that family members will be in attendance at Windsor Castle on Christmas day, though sources insist that the royal family will take appropriate precautions.

The queen’s decision to stay at Windsor Castle for the holidays comes amidst a troubling wave of Omicron infections in the U.K. As of Dec. 21, infections with the new variant were doubling every 48 hours in most regions, and scientists have sounded the alarm.

The queen’s decision to forgo traveling to Norfolk shouldn’t be a surprise in the light of this news, especially since the monarch was hospitalized in November. The queen’s age also puts her at risk for the coronavirus. 

Previous plans speculated that the queen and members of the royal family would likely be enjoying the restored dining room on Christmas, though The Guardian added that it was still unclear who would be in attendance.

Last year, Prince William and Kate Middleton spent the holidays at their Anmer Hall residence in Norfolk; meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remained in Montecito, California, where the couple moved after a controversial split from the royal family.

Earlier in December, the queen canceled her family’s holiday party at Buckingham Palace, which normally sees around 50 guests from Charles and Camilla to more extended family members.

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The royal family’s Christmas celebration will also not include a public church visit. Normally, members of the royal family take a stroll to St. Mary Magdalene church in Sandringham on Dec. 25. Of course, Omicron cases are on the rise in the U.K., and thus public health officials are recommending against large gatherings.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the current coronavirus situation “extremely difficult” on Dec. 21, according to Reuters. 

"We will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public, and to protect public health and the NHS (National Health Service), and we won't hesitate to take that action," he added.

The queen, who is 95 and was hospitalized in November, is at increased risk for the coronavirus. However, sources say that the royal family will take proper precautions.

This is even more important in light of the queen's recent health issues. The public is used to seeing the queen at her very best all the time, so there has been some recent concern for her health as she recovers from a back injury.

While she was recently still up and about and holding strong despite needing to use a cane, the queen ended up canceling her appearance at the Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph. The queen also had to cancel her five-yearly visit to General Synod, the national assembly of the Church of England.

Though there were concerns that she could not host Christmas, the Daily Mail reported: "The Queen has told everyone she is feeling far better of late and is very much looking forward to welcoming them for Christmas. Like many other families, this will be the first time Her Majesty can gather with her extended family after being kept apart for so long due to the coronavirus pandemic."

Join us in wishing Sir Timothy Lawrence a speedy recovery. What are your thoughts about the queen's current Christmas plans? Tell us, and be sure to pass this article on to your friends and family as well.