PRINCE Charles managed to get a test for coronavirus within hours of showing “relatively mild symptoms” despite strict NHS guidelines at the time saying they should only be given to patients admitted to hospital.

The National can also reveal that on the day the Duke of Rothesay was tested in his Birkhall home by NHS Grampian, the health board had 666 workers forced to self-isolate.

There was limited capacity for testing at that point of the pandemic. A spokeswoman for the board confirmed that only a third of self-isolating staff that week were tested.

The future king arrived in Birkhall on Sunday, March 22.

A spokesman for Clarence House yesterday made clear to The National that the prince did not display coronavirus symptoms until he was in Scotland.

He and Camilla were two of just 19 tests carried out by NHS Grampian on the Monday. He received the positive result on Tuesday. Camilla’s test came back negative.

Last week, in an interview with Sky News about his battle with the virus, Charles reiterated that his symptoms were mild: “I was lucky in my case and got away with it quite lightly.”

The criteria used by NHS Grampian at the time – released to us under freedom of information – was in line with the Health Protection Scotland guidance, which stated that the only patients who should be tested were those requiring hospital admission, who have either clinical or radiological evidence of pneumonia, or acute respiratory distress syndrome or influenza-like illness.

And even those with the influenza-like illness must also have had a fever greater than 37.8°C and at least a “persistent cough (with or without sputum)” or “hoarseness, nasal discharge or congestion, shortness of breath, sore throat, wheezing, sneezing”.

At the time Charles was tested the then Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood, said she’d established from talking to NHS Grampian that “he was tested for clinical reasons”.

Calderwood defended the decision during an interview with the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme.

She said: “I have spoken to the team in Grampian who were looking after the individual.

“My understanding is there were very good reasons for that person and his wife to be tested, and obviously I wouldn’t be able to disclose anything else that I know because of patient confidentiality.”

But Clarence House has repeatedly said his symptoms were only mild.

Last night they declined to add anything further.

NHS Grampian referred all enquiries back to the palace.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As we have repeatedly said, we are unable to comment on individual cases for patient confidentiality reasons.”

Graham Smith from Republic said the rapid testing of the prince while hundreds of NHS staff were unable to access one was “an abuse of privilege and status”.

“This is one rule for them, one rule for everyone else. We’re certainly not all in this together,” he added.

In his interview with Sky, Prince Charles said: “I was lucky in my case and got away with it quite lightly. But I’ve had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.

“I feel particularly for those who have lost their loved ones and have been unable to be with them at the time. That, to me, is the most ghastly thing.

The heir to the throne warned there could be further pandemics.