Platinum Jubilee: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to miss service due to Covid

The Archbishop of Canterbury has tested positive for Covid and has mild pneumonia

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said he will not be attending a thanksgiving service for the Queen on Friday after testing positive for Covid.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, 66, is also suffering with mild pneumonia, Lambeth Palace said.

He was going to preach at the service at St Paul's Cathedral as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, will preach the sermon in his place.

The service Mr Welby is missing will feature Bible readings, prayers and hymns to express thankfulness for the Queen's reign.

He was also due to a light a beacon at Lambeth Palace on Thursday.

These events are part of a four-day celebration of the monarch's 70 years on the throne, including military parades, street parties across the country and a pop concert outside Buckingham Palace.

In a statement, Mr Welby - the most senior cleric in the Church of England - said he was "deeply saddened" to not be attending the celebration but would be praying for the Queen and giving thanks to her "extraordinary 70 years of service to us all".

"May the Queen's example bring us together in unity and care for one another," he said.

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Mr Welby was first diagnosed with pneumonia last Thursday, after which he continued working with a reduced workload, according to Lambeth Palace.

But after developing coronavirus symptoms, he took a test on Monday morning and confirmed he had Covid.

Now he is resting at home and has cleared his schedule for the rest of the week.

A disappointment for the archbishop

By Aleem Maqbool, Religion Editor

The Archbishop of Canterbury's deep disappointment at having to miss the Platinum Jubilee Thanksgiving Service is all too apparent, not least because of his clear admiration for the Queen and the way she has served the nation.

In a recent BBC interview, Justin Welby talked of his own interactions with the Queen over the years and about her warmth.

Mr Welby spoke too about the way in which the Queen's faith has guided her throughout her reign, including the toughest of times like the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Archbishop officiated at Prince Philip's funeral, and also married the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and has christened some of the Queen's grandchildren.

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