King Charles and Queen Camilla led royal attendees at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day Service - joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
With it being his first appearance at the service in two years, after his cancer diagnosis last year forced him to postpone public duties for a period, the service, which included special musical performances from a diverse range of artists included over 700 schoolchildren, alongside Commonwealth Games athletes like Sir Chris Hoy and Shanice Beckford-Norton. High Commissioners and senior politicians from across the UK and Commonwealth were also present.
The service celebrated this year's theme ‘Together We Thrive’, which honours the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family, which highlighted the 56 independent member countries whose shared values remain enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter. Rooted in principles of family, unity and peace, the theme emphasises the importance of fostering strong communities that support and empower their members.
As Their Majesties were met by the Dean of Westminster, the celebration brought together over 2,000 guests from across the Commonwealth, as the royal couple 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.
Following the performance, members of the Royal Family formed a procession through the Abbey - led by Commonwealth Mace Bearer, three-time Paralympic champion and two-time world champion in track cycling, Kadeena Cox. Heritage Sanmi Lawal, a Commonwealth Youth Gender & Equality Network member from Nigeria, carry the Commonwealth flag.
In his Commonwealth Day message, the King mentioned the idea of “restoring the ‘disrupted harmony’ of our entire planet is the most important task facing humanity”. Ahead of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, he also remembered the “sacrifice and selflessness” of Commonwealth forces who answered the call to fight with Britain and her allies.
“On this special anniversary,” The King went on, “we remember with particular pride and everlasting gratitude the untold sacrifice and selflessness of so many from around our family of nations who gave their lives in that dreadful conflict.”
In his bidding, the Dean of Westminster said: “We gather, in this house of prayer, to rejoice in our common life.
“We are God’s people in a Commonwealth of Nations,” he went on to say. King Charles, who has visited 48 Commonwealth countries - many on numerous occasions - serves as its Head, a role he has actively supported for over 40 years. He is also the same age as the Commonwealth - 76.
He and Queen Carmilla most recently visited Australia and Samoa in 2024 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
