Queen leads royals at Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey

Prince William seen speaking to family members at service amid controversy over digitally altered picture
Daniel Keane11 March 2024

The Queen welcomed fellow royals to Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day service on Monday afternoon - hours after the Princess of Wales made a personal apology for digitally altering a family photograph.

The King, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, was not attending the service, having postponed all in-person public-facing duties for the time being.

Prince William was seen chatting with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal as they waited near the Great West Door for the Queen to finish meeting people in the welcoming line.

The prince, making his first public appearance since his wife admitted to "editing" their Mother's Day picture, greeted Edward with a friendly pat on the arm and a kiss on both cheeks, before standing in conversation with his aunts and uncle.

The Princess Royal, the Queen and Prince William are seen at the Commonwealth Day service
Henry Nicholls/PA Wire

Camilla and William were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

In his annual address to the family of nations, the King pledged to continue to serve the Commonwealth “to the best of my ability”.

His address highlighted how “diversity” was the Commonwealth’s core “strength”, and the union of 56 member countries was a “precious source of strength, inspiration, and pride” to him.

Charles said in the video message: “In recent weeks, I have been most deeply touched by your wonderfully kind and thoughtful good wishes for my health and, in return, can only continue to serve you, to the best of my ability, throughout the Commonwealth”.

Guests watch a video of King Charles III delivering a message during the annual Commonwealth Day Service
Henry Nicholls/PA Wire
(front row left-right) The Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service
Henry Nicholls/PA Wire

He went on: “As I have said before, the Commonwealth is like the wiring of a house, and its people, our energy and our ideas are the current that runs through those wires.

"Together and individually we are strengthened by sharing perspectives and experiences, and by offering and borrowing the myriad ways we have each tackled the challenges of our time.

"This is true both at the level of nations and, indeed, at the local level. We recognise today that our diversity is our greatest strength."

The service was attended by around 2,000 foreign guests including the president of Malta, foreign ministers, high commissioners, senior politicians and dignitaries from across the Commonwealth.

The Prince of Wales arrives at the ceremony
Geoff Pugh/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire

It comes as Buckingham Palace faces fresh pressure to reveal the truth behind an image of the Princess of Wales and her children after international picture agencies withdrew it over claims it had been digitally manipulated.

The photograph of Kate and her children, taken by the Prince of Wales, was the first to be issued since the princess’s abdominal surgery and was released by the Palace to mark Mother’s Day.

It is understood William and Kate wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother’s Day, with the princess making “minor adjustments”.

It was withdrawn with a “Kill” notice by picture agencies last night - and the UK’s PA news agency on Monday morning - because of suspicions it had been manipulated.

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