Britain’s Prince Charles has not fully regained his senses of taste and smell after his battle with the coronavirus in March, he revealed during a visit with hospital staff this week.
The 71-year-old heir to the British throne discussed his personal experience with the virus during a visit with National Health Service staff at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital Tuesday with his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, 72, the BBC reported.
“He did speak of his personal experience, so first-hand experience for him,” Jeff Mills, 47, a health care assistant from Cheltenham General Hospital who was present, told the network. “He also spoke about his loss of smell and taste and, sort of, still felt he’s still got [those symptoms] now.”
The royal pair observed social distancing measures during the meeting — their first face-to-face engagement since the United Kingdom’s lockdown began, according to the report.
They met with nurses and other front-line workers — ranging from consultants to cleaners — from several NHS trusts at the hospital near Charles’ Highgrove estate, the network reported.
Charles greeted some of the workers with a “namaste” — clasping his hands together — instead of a handshake, according to the report.
Prince Charles tested positive for the coronavirus in late March and was self-isolating with “mild symptoms.”
Camilla has tested negative for COVID-19, though both self-isolated at their home, Burnham, on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.