A Former Buckingham Palace Doctor Shares the Royal Family's Coronavirus Protocol

Dr. Anna Hemming, a former resident in-house Buckingham Palace doctor, explains what the royal family's coronavirus protocol likely is.

Members of the Order of Merit Luncheon
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  • The coronavirus pandemic is affecting people worldwide and that includes members of the royal family.
  • Dr. Anna Hemming, a physician who spent seven years as the resident in-house doctor at Buckingham Palace, weighed in on what the royal family's coronavirus response likely includes.
  • According to Hemming, it will be especially important for the Queen and Prince Philip, who are both in their nineties, to take every health precaution available.

The entire world is dealing with the impact of the coronavirus right now and the royal family is no exception.

In a new interview with TatlerDr. Anna Hemming, who current works at the Cranley Clinic and previous spent seven years as the resident in-house doctor at Buckingham Palace, weigh in on what the royal family's coronavirus protocol probably looks like.

According to Hemming, the entire family is likely taking all recommended precautions, but that's particularly important for Queen Elizabeth, who is 93, and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is 98.

"Clearly, members of the Royal Family are in high risk groups—not just over 70 but over 90 years old too," she explained. "I believe the family will be talking daily with their medical team and taking all reasonable precautions, particularly for the Duke of Edinburgh who we are all aware is the most fragile member of the Royal Family."

Hemming also explained that non-royals who live within the palaces—think service staff, like footmen and housekeepers—will have already set plans and precautionary measures (like self-isolation) to take if any of them start to show symptoms.

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Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.