London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, self-isolating at home after Covid contact

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, self-isolating at home after Covid contact

Kate not experiencing symptoms but self-isolating according to government guidelines, says Kensington Palace
The Duchess of Cambridge is likely to miss England’s Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley and the rest of Wimbledon because she is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who had Covid.

Kate attended England’s last home match, against Germany, and was expected to return to the royal box on Wednesday for the match against Denmark. The duchess, who is patron of the All England Club and a keen tennis fan, was also expected at forthcoming Wimbledon matches including the men’s and women’s finals this weekend.

But she is unlikely to appear for any public engagements for the next week because she has been self-isolating at home since last Friday. Kate was informed she had been in contact with someone who later tested positive after returning from Wimbledon on Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace refused to say whether the contact was made at Wimbledon. The palace said: “Last week the Duchess of Cambridge came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Her Royal Highness is not experiencing any symptoms, but is following all relevant government guidelines and is self-isolating at home.”

Asked if she would be attending Wembley or Wimbledon this week, the spokesperson said: “That remains to be seen.”

According to NHS guidance, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has Covid usually has to self-isolate for 10 full days. This would rule out Kate attending the Euro 2020 semi-finals or final at Wembley and any more matches at this year’s Wimbledon.

Kate was seen applauding England’s 2-0 win against Germany at Wembley last week alongside William and their son George.

It is understood that Kate, who has had two doses of Covid vaccine, was alerted to the contact on Friday afternoon. A palace source said she had taken lateral flow tests before her engagements at the Euros and at Wimbledon and both were negative.

Kate had been due to spend Monday with William celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the NHS at two events. The couple had planned to attend a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in honour of the health service, and in the afternoon host a “Big Tea” at Buckingham Palace for NHS staff, in their roles as joint patrons of NHS Charities Together.

Kate’s last public event was her visit to Wimbledon on Friday, when she toured the venue, meeting staff in the museum and the Centre Court kitchen and sitting with the former tennis star Tim Henman to watch Jamie Murray play in the doubles.

William contracted Covid last spring and was able to carry on with telephone and online engagements while he was treated by royal doctors, but was reportedly hit “pretty hard” by the virus and at one stage struggled to breathe.

The Prince of Wales caught the virus during the same period but had milder symptoms, although he lost his sense of smell and taste for a time.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Aides Say U.S. Has Discussed Offering Asylum to British Jews Amid Growing Antisemitism Concerns
UK Seeks Diplomatic De-escalation with Trump Over Greenland Tariff Threat
Prince Harry Returns to London as High Court Trial Begins Over Alleged Illegal Tabloid Snooping
High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills at Least Twenty-One and Injures Scores
Meghan Markle May Return to the U.K. This Summer as Security Review Advances
Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat Sparks EU Response and Risks Deep Transatlantic Rift
Prince Harry’s High Court Battle With Daily Mail Publisher Begins in London
Trump’s Tariff Escalation Presents Complex Challenges for the UK Economy
UK Prime Minister Starmer Rebukes Trump’s Greenland Tariff Strategy as Transatlantic Tensions Rise
Prince Harry’s Last Press Case in UK Court Signals Potential Turning Point in Media and Royal Relations
OpenAI to Begin Advertising in ChatGPT in Strategic Shift to New Revenue Model
GDP Growth Remains the Most Telling Barometer of Britain’s Economic Health
Prince William and Kate Middleton Stay Away as Prince Harry Visits London Amid Lingering Rift
Britain Braces for Colder Weather and Snow Risk as Temperatures Set to Plunge
Mass Protests Erupt as UK Nears Decision on China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London
Prince Harry to Return to UK to Testify in High-Profile Media Trial Against Associated Newspapers
Keir Starmer Rejects Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat as ‘Completely Wrong’
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed
Prince Harry Returns to UK High Court as Final Privacy Trial Against Daily Mail Publisher Begins
Britain Confronts a Billion-Pound Wind Energy Paradox Amid Grid Constraints
The graduate 'jobpocalypse': Entry-level jobs are not shrinking. They are disappearing.
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
The Return of the Hands: Why the AI Age Is Rewriting the Meaning of “Real Work”
UK PM Kier Scammer Ridicules Tories With "Kamasutra"
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
United Kingdom and Norway Endorse NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Mission Including Greenland
Woman Claiming to Be Freddie Mercury’s Secret Daughter Dies at Forty-Eight After Rare Cancer Battle
UK Launches First-Ever ‘Town of Culture’ Competition to Celebrate Local Stories and Boost Communities
Planned Sale of Shell and Exxon’s UK Gas Assets to Viaro Energy Collapses Amid Regulatory and Market Hurdles
UK Intensifies Arctic Security Engagement as Trump’s Greenland Rhetoric Fuels Allied Concern
Meghan Markle Could Return to the UK for the First Time in Nearly Four Years If Security Is Secured
Meghan Markle Likely to Return to UK Only if Harry Secures Official Security Cover
UAE Restricts Funding for Emiratis to Study in UK Amid Fears Over Muslim Brotherhood Influence
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks to Safeguard Long-Term Agreement Stability
Starmer’s Push to Rally Support for Action Against Elon Musk’s X Faces Setback as Canada Shuns Ban
UK Free School Meals Expansion Faces Political and Budgetary Delays
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks With Britain
Germany Hit by Major Airport Strikes Disrupting European Travel
Prince Harry Seeks King Charles’ Support to Open Invictus Games on UK Return
Washington Holds Back as Britain and France Signal Willingness to Deploy Troops in Postwar Ukraine
Elon Musk Accuses UK Government of Suppressing Free Speech as X Faces Potential Ban Over AI-Generated Content
Russia Deploys Hypersonic Missile in Strike on Ukraine
OpenAI and SoftBank Commit One Billion Dollars to Energy and Data Centre Supplier
UK Prime Minister Starmer Reaffirms Support for Danish Sovereignty Over Greenland Amid U.S. Pressure
UK Support Bolsters U.S. Seizure of Russian-Flagged Tanker Marinera in Atlantic Strike on Sanctions Evasion
The Claim That Maduro’s Capture and Trial Violate International Law Is Either Legally Illiterate—or Deliberately Deceptive
UK Data Watchdog Probes Elon Musk’s X Over AI-Generated Grok Images Amid Surge in Non-Consensual Outputs
Prince Harry to Return to UK for Court Hearing Without Plans to Meet King Charles III
UK Confirms Support for US Seizure of Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
×