As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to be rolled out across the globe, Queen Elizabeth II has opened up about her own experience getting the vaccine.
During a video call with health officials earlier this week, the queen said of getting the COVID-19 vaccination, "It was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine." She continued, "And the jab—it didn’t hurt at all."
In early January 2021, Buckingham Palace revealed that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had both been vaccinated against COVID-19. In the United Kingdom, the two vaccine doses are being administered three months apart, so the queen and her husband have so far received the first dose. The queen is 94, and Prince Philip is 99, meaning that the couple's age bracket was one of the first to be vaccinated in England.
Just last month, Prince William opened up about the fact that the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had received the COVID-19 vaccine. "My grandparents have had the vaccine and I'm very proud of them for doing that," he explained during a Zoom call with staff from Hospice UK’s Just "B" counselling helpline. "It's really important that everyone gets their vaccine."
However, it could be quite some time before our daily lives return to normal following the pandemic, and the queen is taking precautions to stay safe. Last month, a royal spokesperson told BAZAAR.com, "The decision has been taken that garden parties will not take place in 2021."
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.
