Prince Harry has taken a HIV test, but it’s all for a good cause.
Having recently highlighted the issue of HIV/AIDS as a major element of his public work, the prince visited a sexual clinic for a simple finger-prick procedure and encouraged more members of the public to come forward and discover if they have the virus.
It’s a daunting thing for anyone to do, but Prince Harry graciously gave a small sample of his blood and then patiently waited while that sample was mixed with chemicals and poured into a test tray where a developing solution was added.
Asked by lead health advisor and psychosexual counsellor Robert Palmer if he was all right throughout the procedure, Harry responds with “I’m okay.”
In case you’re interested, Harry’s test came back negative.
A single blue spot in the tray is said to indicate a negative result. However, had the royal had two spots appear he would have needed further tests to confirm (or rule out completely) his HIV status.
“He was anxious, he said so, but everything was all right in the end,” Palmer said after the test was complete.
Thought to be the first member of the Royal Family to test for HIV, Harry was asked about the significance of his involvement and said, “It means this is a test for everybody — it doesn’t matter who you are, it’s a good idea to have a HIV test.”
While Australia is thought to have beaten AIDS there are still other countries throughout the world where the disease is in epidemic proportions. In the United Kingdom, Harry says there might be an estimated 11,000 people unaware they have the virus and he took the test publicly to tackle the stigma surrounding the disease.