Spain's King Felipe VI goes into quarantine after 'close contact' with coronavirus case

King Felipe VI of Spain has begun 10 days of quarantine after coming into "close contact" with a person who has tested positive to the coronavirus.

The monarch, 52, had been in close proximity to the infected person on Sunday.

In a statement the royal palace said: "In accordance with health regulations, he will observe from now on a preventive quarantine of 10 days".

King Felipe's period of isolation will end on December 2.

His wife, Queen Letizia, and their two daughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, do not need to isolate and will "continue their activities normally," the palace confirmed.

Prince Felipe tested negative to COVID-19 on 12 March, at the start of the pandemic in Spain.

Queen Letizia, too, was put into isolation in April after coming into contact with an infected government minister.

And in September, Princess Leonor, 15, was forced to go into quarantine for two weeks after one of her classmates tested positive to the virus.

Spain has recorded nearly 1.6 million cases and 43,131 deaths since the pandemic began.

In May, King Felipe and Queen Letizia embarked on a major tour of Spain, visiting towns and cities severely impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns.

The king and queen went on the months-long journey when restrictions began to ease, meeting with business owners and residents hoping to stimulate the Spanish economy.

They have been holding royal engagements across the country and within the royal palace at Madrid, usually while wearing face coverings.

King Felipe is one of many royals to have a brush with the highly-infectious virus.

In Britain, Prince Charles was diagnosed in April while Prince William also caught COVID-19 around the same time.

Monaco's Prince Albert II became the first royal to have COVID-19, confirming his diagnosis in March.