Queen Elizabeth's Cousin Has Severe COVID-19 Symptoms, Isolates In Kensington Palace
Another member of the British royal family has COVID-19. Princess Michael of Kent, the 75-year-old wife of Queen Elizabeth's cousin, Prince Michael, has been suffering from severe symptoms after contracting the virus nearly a month ago.
Princess Michael, the former Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, is reportedly self-isolating in the apartment she shares with her husband in Kensington Palace, a spokesperson confirmed. Her husband, on the other hand, tested negative for the disease, according to The Sun.
The spokesperson said that the royal has been experiencing extreme fatigue and terrible fevers. She contracted the virus from a sick housekeeper and was immediately tested for COVID-19.
Prince Michael is the youngest son of Prince George, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The Duke of Kent is the third brother of King George VI, the Queen's beloved father.
He married Baroness Marie Christine in 1978, who was a Roman Catholic divorcee. Prince Michael did not receive a dukedom from the sovereign following his marriage since he is a distant relative. Thus, his wife carried on the tradition of using her husband's title and has been officially referred to as Princess Michael.
Under the Act of Settlement, Prince Michael lost his line in the succession of the throne because of he married a divorcee who did not get baptized in the Church of England. However, following Queen Elizabeth's amendments to the Crown Act in 2013, Prince Michael was reinstated as the 48th in line.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent are not working royals and do not represent Queen Elizabeth at official royal events. Their stay at Kensington Palace attracted controversy in 2002 following an audit from the House of Commons, which revealed that they only pay $90 (£69) per week for rent.
Queen Elizabeth then decided she will shoulder the $160,000 (£120,000) yearly rent of her cousins from her private funds. This was in recognition of the royal couple's various charity work using their own money.
It is understood that Princess Michael is receiving care from doctors in a private capacity. She is the third member of Queen Elizabeth's family to get sick from COVID-19 after Prince Charles in March and Prince William in April.
Prince Charles only suffered mild symptoms and was up and about after a week. However, the heir to the throne said that he experienced a loss of his sense of smell and taste.
Prince William, on the other hand, made his illness known only this November. He said he kept his illness a secret to avoid worrying the public if they find out that two of Queen Elizabeth's direct heirs were infected by the potentially deadly virus around the same time.