Members of Britain’s Royal Family gathered at Windsor Castle on Sunday for their annual Easter celebration, though several notable family members were missing from the traditional service.
King Charles and Queen Camilla led the Easter Matins ceremony at St. George’s Chapel, accompanied by Prince William, his wife Catherine, and their three children. The service represents a significant event for the monarch, who serves as the supreme governor of the Church of England.
Dean of Windsor Christopher Cocksworth welcomed the royal couple upon their arrival for the morning service. Queen Camilla, dressed in a striking red hat and matching coat, was presented with a small bouquet of flowers during the festivities.
Following the conclusion of the religious ceremony, both Charles and Camilla greeted well-wishers in the crowd, exchanging “Happy Easter” wishes with attendees.
Prince Edward and Anne, the Princess Royal, along with other royal family members, also participated in Sunday’s service.
Notably missing from this year’s Easter gathering was the King’s younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who had participated in the previous year’s celebration alongside his former wife Sarah Ferguson. Andrew was taken into police custody in February on allegations of misconduct in public office.
His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, also chose not to attend Sunday’s service. According to a royal source who spoke last week, the princesses made their own decision to skip the event, rather than being excluded by King Charles.
The King chose not to issue an Easter message this year. On Saturday, relatives of Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre called upon Charles to meet with survivors during his upcoming state visit to the United States, noting the timing coincides with the anniversary of her passing.
Giuffre had previously alleged that the deceased American financier Epstein had trafficked her to Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17 years old.
The former prince, who has consistently denied these accusations and stated he has no memory of encountering Giuffre, reached a financial settlement with her in 2022 while not acknowledging any wrongdoing.
In related church news, Sarah Mullally, who serves as the archbishop of Canterbury and is the first woman to lead the Church of England, delivered her inaugural Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday.
