Royals gather for Windsor Easter Sunday service
Royals gather for Windsor Easter Sunday service
On Easter Sunday, King Charles and Queen Camilla participated in a church service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. The event marked a return to tradition for the royal family, with Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, leading their children into the chapel. A crowd of spectators gathered behind barriers to watch the procession, with Princess Charlotte waving to the onlookers as they entered.
Unlike previous years, several members of the royal family were absent from the ceremony. The Prince of Wales and his wife, Catherine, had not attended the event in two years due to the princess’s cancer treatment. Meanwhile, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were not present, having participated last year. Their decision to opt for “alternative plans” for Easter was noted by observers.
Princess Anne, accompanied by her husband Sir Tim Laurence, joined the service along with Prince Edward and his family. The King and Queen arrived last, drawing applause from the crowd as one viewer shouted, “God bless the King.” The event is considered a private family tradition rather than an official royal duty.
Maundy service and public duties
Earlier in the week, the King and Queen attended the traditional Maundy service in Denbighshire, Wales. This ceremony honors the Last Supper and emphasizes humility and community service. During the event, the monarch presented gifts to 77 men and 77 women in recognition of their contributions to Christian charity and public welfare.
King Charles did not deliver an Easter message this year, a departure from previous customs. However, the Maundy service highlighted his ongoing public engagements, which remain a key part of his royal role.
Scandals and royal challenges
Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke of York, has been at the center of controversy, having lost his royal title and facing investigations into misconduct in public office. He was recently arrested on suspicion of wrongdoing and has relocated to Sandringham, Norfolk. The family continues to navigate scrutiny linked to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, with lingering questions about connections to the US sex offender.
Mountbatten-Windsor has maintained his innocence, asserting there is no evidence of wrongdoing from his ties to Epstein. This has added a layer of complexity to the royal family’s public image during the Easter celebrations.
Archbishop’s message on global issues
For the first time, Dame Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, delivered an Easter sermon. Her address called for an end to “violance and destruction” in the Middle East, urging prayer with “renewed urgency” for peace. The sermon was delivered at Canterbury Cathedral, with the US-Israel conflict against Iran entering its sixth week as a backdrop.
“We pray for peace with renewed urgency, as the world watches the unfolding tensions in the Middle East,” Mullally said during her remarks.
