The King and Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey this afternoon for the annual Commonwealth Day service of Celebration, joined by several senior members of the Royal Family.
The Prince and Princess of Wales attended alongside the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
A congregation of 1,800 people gathered at the historic abbey to mark Commonwealth Day 2026.
The service, organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, brought together government officials, young people and prominent figures from the creative industries to celebrate the 56-nation organisation.
The King and Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey this afternoon for the annual Commonwealth Day service of Celebration, joined by several senior members of the Royal Family.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales attended alongside the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
|REUTERS
This year's theme draws inspiration from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2026, which centres on accelerating partnerships and investment for a prosperous Commonwealth.
The service aims to showcase collaboration as the fundamental strength of the modern Commonwealth, bringing together diverse voices united in shared purpose.
The Royal Commonwealth Society, which delivers the annual celebration, works to connect political and diplomatic representatives with civil society, business leaders and young people across member nations.
Founded in 1868, the organisation operates independently of governments and focuses on youth empowerment, education and advocacy to improve prospects for Commonwealth citizens worldwide.
Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence attended the event.
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The service featured several significant artistic moments, including the world premiere of the Commonwealth Symphony by composer Rekesh Chauhan.
A specially created dance performance united students from the Royal Ballet School with Sapnay Entertainments Ltd, blending classical ballet with Bollywood in a celebration of cross-cultural collaboration.
Royal Commonwealth Society Ambassador Geri Halliwell-Horner delivered an address, while dancer Oti Mabuse offered a reflection during the ceremony.
Selina Tusitala Marsh, the first Commonwealth Poet Laureate, presented a poem for the occasion.
Sir Keir Starmer arrived at the service ahead of the Royal Family.
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Royal Commonwealth Society Ambassador Geri Halliwell-Horner delivered an address during the ceremony.
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Musical performances also included a Scottish Ceilidh band and the Melodians Steel Drum Orchestra, alongside additional readings from notable guests.
The Commonwealth comprises 56 independent nations bound by shared values outlined in the Commonwealth Charter, including commitments to democracy, human rights, rule of law and equality for its 2.7 billion citizens.
His Majesty serves as Head of the Commonwealth, a role he has actively supported for more than four decades.
During that time, the King has travelled to 48 Commonwealth countries, returning to many on multiple occasions.
Last year, Their Majesties undertook a visit to Canada, where they formally opened the 45th Parliament.
Prince Albert of Monaco attended the service this afternoon.
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Republic, an anti-monarchy group, staged the main protest outside the Abbey ahead of the service.
Yellow placards reading "Not My King" were visible, as well as a massive banner stating: "What Did You Know? Abolish The Monarchy. Charles, What Are You Hiding?"
The BBC scrapped its live broadcast of today's Commonwealth Day service, opting instead to air an episode of Escape to the Country.
The national broadcaster attributed the decision to budgetary constraints.
A BBC spokesman defended the scheduling change, telling the Sun: “Our decision not to broadcast the Commonwealth Day ceremony in the same way we've done in previous years reflects the difficult choices we have to make in light of our funding challenges.
“BBC News plans to cover the service across its platforms, including the BBC One bulletins and rolling news channel.”
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