Queen sends Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds message as PM battles COVID-19
The Queen has sent her prime minister, Boris Johnson, a message, as it is confirmed the weekly audience will not go ahead while he is in intensive care.
Johnson is in intensive care in St Thomas’s Hospital in London, after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.
It was announced he had been taken to hospital shortly after the Queen’s televised message was shown across broadcasters on Sunday evening.
The Queen also sent a message to Carrie Symonds, Johnson’s fiancee, who has also had symptoms of coronavirus. She is pregnant with the couple’s first child.
The Royal Family tweeted: “Earlier today The Queen sent a message to Carrie Symonds and to the Johnson family. Her Majesty said they were in her thoughts and that she wished the Prime Minister a full and speedy recovery.”
Earlier today The Queen sent a message to Carrie Symonds and to the Johnson family. Her Majesty said they were in her thoughts and that she wished the Prime Minister a full and speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/Mo1SgAd9wh
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 7, 2020
Her grandson, Prince William, 37, also sent a message to Johnson.
In a tweet on Kensington Palace’s account, the second in line to the throne said: “Our thoughts are with the Prime Minister and his family, who like so many in the UK and around the world are affected by coronavirus. We wish him a speedy recovery at this difficult time. W.”
It’s understood Prince Charles and his wife Camilla have also sent a private message to the prime minister. The couple sent their wishes for his “speedy recovery”.
Johnson was transferred to ICU on Monday evening, but has been in a stable condition overnight. Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, will deputise for him in certain roles while he is in hospital.
However the PM’s spokesman confirmed the weekly audience with the Queen would be cancelled.
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The regular meetings have been taking place by phone since the Queen went to Windsor a week early for Easter Court.
Although they will not happen while the PM is in intensive care, the Queen will be kept up to date with his condition.
The palace and Downing St will also stay in touch.
The private audiences happen every week and Johnson is the 14th prime minister who the Queen has dealt with during her reign.
He is not the first prime minister to fall seriously ill while in power. Winston Churchill, the Queen’s first prime minister, suffered a stroke in 1953 but the extent of his illness was kept from the press.
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Our thoughts are with the Prime Minister and his family, who like so many in the UK and around the world are affected by coronavirus. We wish him a speedy recovery at this difficult time. W
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 7, 2020
Similarly, Anthony Eden was on a cocktail of drugs while he was in charge of the country during the Suez Crisis.
Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Harold Wilson all also suffered varying degrees of health problems during their time in office.
Supporters of Johnson have called for a national ‘Clap for Boris’ on Tuesday evening in the same style as the weekly Clap for Carers which has been taking place to thank NHS staff.
He’s also received well wishes from across the political spectrum, and from international leaders like Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron.
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Johnson received oxygen support in ICU, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
“The Prime Minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits,” his spokesman said.
“He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance.
“He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.”
The decline in the prime minister’s condition has caused shock in Westminster, but his spokesman denied that they had sought to downplay the seriousness of his illness.