Prince Charles’ visit to father Prince Philip at hospital during lockdown draws mixed reactions

After getting criticised online for his 200-mile round-trip drive to visit Prince Philip at the hospital during a coronavirus-induced lockdown, Prince Charles is now receiving support on social media as netizens are urging fellow users to ‘show a bit of kindness.’ The Duke of Edinburgh has been at King Edward VII’s hospital since Tuesday as a “precautionary measure” and is likely to remain there into next week.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, was seen entering the hospital wearing a facemask on Sunday and his Clarence House officials later said that he was then driven back to his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire, south-west England. He reportedly spent half an hour by Philip’s bedside.

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A Twitter user criticising Charles wrote, “I do hope Prince Phillip gets better but why was Prince Charles allowed to visit his father in hospital when families all around the country are not getting to visit their loved ones who are in the hospital when it’s not COVID related?”

“I am with Prince Charles, nothing would stop me seeing a relative either, I would get arrested & locked up before I stopped,” a supporter tweeted. 

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“There is a backlash about Prince Charles going to see his sick dad in the hospital where has humanity gone in this country,” another said.

Meanwhile, far from this debate, Charles, who is the heir-to-throne at 72, was seen tearful after visiting his father. 

The 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II had received the first dose of a vaccine to protect against COVID-19 last month along with his wife.