Following a second diagnosis of COVID-19, Queen Consort Camilla is expected to return to royal duties this week. Camilla, 75, tested positive for COVID-19 again last Monday after she was presumed to have a “seasonal illness.” 

She had previously contracted the virus approximately a year ago on Valentine’s Day.

Although she was exhibiting only basic cold symptoms at first, the diagnosis compelled her to cancel all upcoming events, with a literacy reception being one of them. 

Monday’s statement from the Palace read, “After suffering the symptoms of a cold, Her Majesty The Queen Consort has tested positive for the Covid virus. With regret, she has therefore cancelled all her public engagements for this week and sends her sincere apologies to those who had been due to attend them.”

The Palace has not issued an official statement confirming her recovery. However, they did announce that last week’s canceled reception has been rescheduled to this week and that Camilla will be in attendance. 

Her recovery appeared to be quite swift as last Thursday, just three days after the initial diagnosis, King Charles himself stated, “She’s getting better.”

Buckingham Palace has officially announced that previously cancelled literacy reception will now be held on Thursday, February 23, and hosted at Clarence House, King Charles’s and Camilla’s primary royal residence.

Although an official guest list has not been released, the event will include a number of high-profile individuals and representatives from her patronages.

Canceled Engagements

In addition to the Clarence House reception, Camilla was forced to forgo the walkabout at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Milton Keynes. Instead, King Charles attended the event on his own.

She was also scheduled to visit Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham and a library in Telford, Shropshire as a solo engagement.

Buckingham Palace has stated that they plan to arrange new dates for the canceled visits in the near future. One is already on the books.

Thursday’s postponed literacy reception will mark a belated two-year anniversary of The Reading Room, a project created by Camilla in January 2021.

The Reading Room

While she was still known as the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla launched a pet project on the Clarence House Instagram account where she would share reading suggestions with their followers.

Her posts gained a lot of attention quickly and inspired her to start a separate account, Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room (@theroyalreadingroom). On this account, every 2-3 months, Camilla releases a list of 4-5 books to read that come personally recommended.

She has also previously featured books suggested by King Charles and Catherine, the Princess of Wales.

“The Reading Room celebrates books from around the world and the extraordinary people who create them, and The Queen Consort will be joined by storytellers who have inspired millions of readers.”

Anyone is free to join “Camilla’s online book club,” as casually dubbed by some fans, by following the Instagram account or signing up for the monthly newsletter on the official website.

Camilla’s Passion

Camilla has long been an avid reader and advocate for literacy — something that she says comes from her father.

In a video interview, she shared that her father “is probably the best-read man I’ve come across anywhere… He read to us as children. He chose the books, and we listened. And I think it was his love of books which became ingrained in us, from such an early age.”

She also added, “To me, reading is a great adventure. I’ve loved it since I was very small. I’d love everyone else to enjoy it as much as I do. You can escape, and you can travel, and you can laugh and you can cry. There’s every kind of emotion humans experience in a book.”

Among the various causes she supports, many are tied to literacy, especially those focused on children. Some of the charities she is a patron of include the National Literacy Trust and Book Aid International.