The Queen and Prince Philip ‘to get Covid vaccine in weeks’ but ‘will wait in line’

The Queen and Prince Philip could receive the coronavirus vaccine within weeks, reports claim.

However the senior royals will ‘wait in line’ for their turn and won’t get preferential treatment, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Pfizer and BioNTech’s jab has arrived in the UK and will begin being rolled out to the public within days.

The clinically vulnerable and frontline health care workers are at the head of the queue for the long-awaiting coronavirus vaccine.

They will be in line for the jab once people in their 80s and care home residents are offered it.

The elderly are among the top tiers of the priority queue for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The most severely clinically vulnerable people with listed medical conditions will be given the first shots.

Public health experts are said to be considering whether publicising the senior royals’ vaccinations will help their campaign to combat anti-vaxxer sentiment.

Prince Charles and Prince William are also reportedly being considered for roles in publicising the vaccination programme. 

However the Mail reports such a move could be seen as Buckingham Palace allowing the royals to be politicised.

Courtiers are also said to be concerned there could be concerns about breaching the royals’ medical privacy.

The younger royals, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, won’t be in line for the jab until later in 2021 when it is expected people in their thirties will begin being vaccinated.

The Mail reports that the possibility of the royals playing a role in vaccine promotion to allay scepticism is being discussed at Buckingham Palace and in Whitehall.

Officials are also said to be considering whether widely respected celebrities such as Sir David Attenborough could be asked to front-foot the campaign by getting the jab.

However officials are said to be concerned about provoking allegations of favouritism.

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said that medical decisions were personal, and they would not be commenting on the story.