Queen's COVID diagnosis caps shocking week for British royals

INA – SOURCES 
 
Queen Elizabeth catching COVID-19 has rounded off a week of terrible news for the British royals.
 
Buckingham Palace said the monarch, who turns 96 in two months, was suffering mild symptoms after testing positive for the virus. But growing health fears and scandals involving the family are threatening to overshadow national celebrations to mark her 70th anniversary on the throne.
 
"I suspect this is not a week on which any member of the royal family will look back with particular pleasure," said Matthew Dennison, author of a recent biography "The Queen".
 
Just two weeks ago, the royals were enjoying a warm wave of public and media praise as Elizabeth, currently the world's oldest and longest-reigning monarch, marked seven decades on the throne, a milestone never reached by any of her predecessors over the last 1,000 years.
 
The confidence was such that the monarch was able to announce that Camilla, the once vilified second wife of 73-year-old heir Prince Charles, should become Queen Consort when he became king.
 
But, then last Tuesday it was announced Prince Andrew, Elizabeth's second son, had paid to settle a claim that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl decades ago and, while he admitted no wrongdoing, royal experts say the outcome of the case spelled the end of his public royal role.