The Queen and Prince Philip have both received their covid-19 vaccinations at Windsor Castle, a royal source confirmed.
- The injections were administered by a royal household doctor at Windsor Castle
- The Queen's decision to make the news public has been called "incredibly unusual" by royal experts
- It follows royal news that the Queen's "grave concerns" about Kate Middleton emerged
In a very rare move by Buckingham Palace, royal insiders have confirmed the Queen and Prince Philip have received covid-19 vaccinations.
The 94-year-old Monarch and her 99-year-old husband join more than a million people to have received the jab so far. It is not clear which vaccine the royals were given.
It was said to be administered by a royal household doctor at Windsor Castle - where the couple are currently self-isolating, as the country remains gripped by the deadly virus.
Buckingham Palace's decision to make the news public is an "incredibly unusual" move, according to royal experts, as the Palace consistently said it was a "private matter".
But, Sky News royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said the bold move will now encourage other members of the public to trust in the vaccine.
"The public service message that it sends out will no doubt delight those in Number 10 and the health service who want to promote that having the vaccine is safe," she said.
"The royals in the past have set a powerful example when it comes to medical breakthroughs. Queen Victoria used chloroform as an anaesthetic during childbirth, and Queen Elizabeth II broke protocol when she made it public that Prince Charles and Princess Anne had been given the polio vaccine in 1957.
"Today's announcement is a PR dream, the monarch and her husband showing they believe in the vaccine and it's the right thing to do; once again setting an example to the rest of the country as the Queen and her family have tried to do right throughout the pandemic."
While Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh have so far been untouched by covid-19, Prince Charles and Prince William both contracted the virus last year, although Prince William kept his diagnosis a secret.
Prince Charles admitted he got "lucky" with his battle against coronavirus.
Opening up about his experience of covid-19 - in which he suffered mild symptoms and lost his sense of taste and smell, Charles, 71, said, "It makes me even more determined to push and shout and prod. I was lucky in my case and got away with it quite lightly."
