King Charleswill make a special appearance at the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration next week.
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace announced how the King, 75, will be involved in the annual event at Westminster Abbey. The palace said that a pre-recorded message from the monarch, who has postponed public-facing duties while receivingcancer treatment, will play during the service. The event will celebrate the global network of 56 countries with the 2024 theme “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Commonwealth," and 2,000 guests are expected to attend.
While the King won’t be there in person, plenty of members of his family will be. Buckingham Palace confirmed thatQueen CamillaandPrince Williamwill both attend the event.
According toGert’s Royals, this will make a rare appearance at the Commonwealth Day service for Queen Elizabeth’s cousins. While the Duchess of Gloucester has only attended the event once before, this will be the first time attending to the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence attend the Commonwealth Day service ceremony, at Westminster Abbey, in London in March 2023.JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty
JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty
The monarch continues to undertake state business and paperwork behind the scenes, andmost recently metwith the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, who is the head of the government treasury, at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
King Charles meets with Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt at Buckingham Palace on March 5.Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty
Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty
As King Charles steps back from public engagements and Princess Kate continues her recuperation, it’s up to Queen Camilla and Prince William to bethe face of the monarchy— and their presence at the Commonwealth celebration is an example of just that.
“It is hard with Kate being ill as well, but he will step up,” a source close to the royal household recently said of Prince William.
Although the Prince of Wales, 41,may undertakesome duties on behalf of his father, there are currently no plans to appointCounsellors of Stateto act on the King’s behalf.
“He wouldn’t want to put that pressure on William,” says the source. “He has always wanted to save his children from having that pressure too early and that will remain. Particularly as William has other priorities [with Kate].”
King Charles and Queen Camilla meet with choristers following the Commonwealth Day service ceremony, at Westminster Abbey, in London, in March 2023.JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty
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Prince William and Queen Camilla have both made severalsolo engagementsand the Queen, 76, is taking abrief breakfrom work this week. Palace sources tell PEOPLE that Queen Camilla regularly schedules a break around this time of year, and her royal respite is not connected to King Charles’ health.
source: people.com
