Prince William and his aides have shown “poor judgement” when deciding not to reveal to the public the Duke of Cambridge had been struck by coronavirus, royal author Robert Jobson said. The royal commentator lashed out against Kensington Palace, accused of covering-up the real health conditions of the Duke in April. Mr Jobson wrote on Twitter: “Prince William’s decision to LIE about contracting COVID-19 earlier – for whatever reason – is appalling.
“Kensington Palace were are asked several times by the media whether Prince William had contracted the virus and were told categorically ‘no’.
“This has created a serious issue of trust.
“If the Palace is prepared to LIE about an issue as serious as Prince William, second in line to the throne, contracting COVID-19 what else have they LIED about when questioned by the press and why should the media believe any denials going forward?
“This raises serious issues.”
Other royal commentators weighed in on this issue in the wake of the revelation.
Prince William was struck by coronavirus in April (Image: GETTY)
Prince William officially opened the Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham (Image: GETTY)
Patricia Treble, a Canadian royal expert, wrote on Twitter: “Cover-ups are always more damaging than the original act.
“That a serious illness of the second in line to the throne is kept secret until a journalist breaks the story six months later feels like questionable judgment and advice.”
The Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer made a comparison between Prince William’s decision to hide his diagnosis with the transparency required by world leaders.
He said: “This may be a cover-up that will haunt William and those advising him.
“If the future King contracts a potentially fatal virus that the entire world is worried about during a lockdown and he and those around him cover it up, that raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisers say.
READ MORE: Kate Middleton youngest Prince Louis to undergo big routine change
Prince William, Kate and their children taking part in the Clap for our Carers initiative in April (Image: GETTY)
“If Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Donald Trump, or Joe Biden had covered up a positive test for COVID-19, many people would not be praising them for ‘not wanting to worry people’.
ITV royal editor Chris Ship acknowledged Prince William may have decided not to share he was positive for coronavirus to avoid raising alarm in the UK, as his diagnosis came shortly after it was announced his father Prince Charles had contracted COVID-19.
However, he added: “Whilst William and his aides might have taken their decision in good faith, questions might be raised about the wisdom of hiding such significant news from the public.”
Royal watchers and Twitter users appear to split on this issue.
DON’T MISS
Prince William didn’t want to spark worries by revealing his diagnosis, a source said (Image: GETTY)
Prince William did not go to hospital after his diagnosis (Image: GETTY)
Some believe Prince William’s diagnosis could have been useful to make young people more aware coronavirus can hit even those in their 20s and 30s without a complex medical history.
One Twitter user named Truth Matters: “Causing alarm? What about being straight forward and honest considering back then many people in their 30s didn’t think they could get COVID? His being truthful could have saved lives.”
Allie added: “It might have helped some younger folk take it more seriously if he’d been upfront.”
Other social media users believe Prince William and Kensington Palace had a difficult decision to make when it came to whether reveal or not the Duke’s diagnosis.
Prince William and Kate continued to work from home during the first lockdown (Image: GETTY)
Royal watcher Royal Tea wrote on Twitter: “Maybe it happened this way because they had a skeleton staff as some had moved to temporarily support the Government?
“It was an exceptional and uncharted time for everyone, even the royals and their staff.”
Other royal fans believe Kensington Palace made the right choice when it came to not publicly share Prince William’s health conditions.
One royal fan, krcraft, said the Duke of Cambridge’s decision not to disclose his diagnosis resembles the Queen’s take on life and duty.
Prince William is second-in-line to the throne (Image: EXPRESS)
She wrote on Twitter: “Frankly, I am glad they didn’t disclose at the time.
“It might have lead to incredible abuses during a time of terrible stress.
“William’s actions seem to emulate Her Majesty’s: Keep calm, and carry on.
Another royal watcher, Anna, wrote: “He recovered in private. Privacy and secrecy are not the same.”
And a third, Kayla, added: “Not really ‘serious’ for him when it has a different effect on different people.
“He was low risk, healthy and doesn’t seem to have suffered complications at all.
Prince William taking part in a Comic Relief sketch in April (Image: GETTY)
“Are we meant to be alerted each time he is ill with similar symptoms?”
Prince William, second-in-line to the throne, caught the virus in April.
He was treated by palace doctors and followed Government guidelines by isolating at his home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall, has reported.
Despite his illness, the Duke of Cambridge continued to work from home, carrying out several engagements including the launch of Birmingham’s Nightingale Hospital.
A source told the decision not to disclose William’s diagnosis was made because “he just didn’t want to worry people” after his father Charles and Prime Minister Boris Johnson had already said they had contracted COVID-19.
The source added: “The Queen delivered her ‘We Will Meet Again’ address, and he just didn’t want to worry people.
“He felt there were more important things going on in the country.
“But as a result of his own experiences, he realises absolutely anyone can catch this awful disease – and knows how imperative it is that we all take this second lockdown seriously.”
