The Queen has revealed how Covid left her 'very tired and exhausted', during a virtual hospital visit with a former Covid patient who lost their father and brother to the illness.
In the virtual call to Royal London Hospital, the Queen attended via video to mark the official opening of its Queen Elizabeth Unit.
When the Queen had Covid back in February, Buckingham Palace said she was suffering 'milk cold-like symptoms' at the time.
During her video call to the hospital, the Queen said: "It (Covid) does leave one very tired and exhausted, doesn't it?"
Speaking to former Covid patient Asef Hussain and his wife Shamina, she added: "This horrible pandemic. It's not a nice result."
Mr Hussain was admitted to hospital with Covid in December 2020, along with his father and brother who died from the virus. Mr Hussain remains on a portable oxygen machine after spending seven weeks on a ventilator while in care.
The Queen also heard from hospital staff who shared their experiences with the large influx of patients due to Covid. Senior sister Mireia Lopez Rey Ferrer shared, "As nurses, we made sure that they were not alone.
"We held their hands, we wiped their tears, and we provided comfort. It felt at times that we were running a marathon with no finish line."
She added: "I look back to the last 18 months with great pride, pride not only in the care we provided to each and every single patient that was in one of our hospital beds, but pride in each member of staff that every day left their families at home despite their fears and worries and they came to work."