King Charles leads special Commonwealth Day service as Camilla, William, Kate and Anne support monarch
King Charles and Queen Camilla led royal attendees at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day Service today.
They were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The service celebrated this year’s theme “Together We Thrive”, which honours the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family.
The theme highlights the 56 independent member countries united by shared values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.
Rooted in principles of family, unity and peace, “Together We Thrive” emphasises the importance of fostering strong communities that support and empower their members.
The celebration brought together over 2,000 guests from across the Commonwealth.
Upon arrival at Westminster Abbey, Their Majesties were met by the Dean of Westminster.
The royal couple then greeted members of the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band.
This community band represents the world’s first Hindu eco-temple, Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Kingsbury, London.
The pipe band performed at the Great West Door ahead of the Commonwealth Service.
Following the performance, members of the Royal Family will form a procession through the Abbey.
The procession will be led by Commonwealth Mace Bearer Kadeena Cox, a three-time Paralympic champion and two-time world champion in track cycling.
Heritage Sanmi Lawal, a Commonwealth Youth Gender & Equality Network member from Nigeria, will carry the Commonwealth flag.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
- King Charles buys £3m house with private funds in move to shield Queen Camilla amid his wife’s ‘anxiety’
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle suffer backlash after sharing new photo of Princess Lilibet
- Lady Louise takes centre stage as she performs alongside her boyfriend in performance at St Andrews
King Charles serves as Head of the Commonwealth, a role he has actively supported for over 40 years.
Since 1969, the King has visited 48 Commonwealth countries, many on numerous occasions.
The King and Queen most recently visited Australia and Samoa in 2024 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The service included special musical performances from a diverse range of artists.
Over 700 schoolchildren attended alongside Commonwealth Games athletes including Sir Chris Hoy and Shanice Beckford-Norton.
High Commissioners and senior politicians from across the UK and Commonwealth were also present.