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King Charles IIIQueen Elizabeth II

Camilla at The Queen’s side for second major event in two days

They’re becoming a bit of a royal double act. For the second time this week, the Queen has been joined by the Duchess of Cornwall for one of the biggest ceremonies in the royal diary. The two women have led events marking a major anniversary for Westminster Abbey, the church most associated with royalty in Britain.

The Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a special service at the Abbey marking 750 years since the church was rebuilt. The original royal church on the site had been constructed on the orders of King Edward the Confessor, a monarch so holy he ended up as a saint. Henry III (1216 – 1272) was so devoted to Edward that he had a bigger, better abbey built around the remnants of the original. It was completed and reconsecrated in October 1269 and it is this building that the Queen and Camilla were celebrating today.

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Neither of them is a stranger to the Abbey. It’s been at the centre of royal life for centuries, playing host to services for important events and commemorations as well as being a favourite setting for regal weddings.

Today’s service reflected on the Abbey’s long standing role at the heart of community worship as well as its central place in the life of the nation. The Dean of Wesminster, John Hall, told the congregation that they were all marking the Abbey’s ”continuing significance as a place of worship and of memorial, standing firmly for faith at the heart of our nation and Commonwealth and of the wider world’’.

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The Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall were joined be representatives from faith groups across Britain and the Commonwealth for the service which also included a new anthem written by Matthew Martin for the anniversary.

It’s the second time in 24 hours that Camilla has accompanied the Queen at a major event. On Monday, she and the Prince of Wales were with the Monarch for the State Opening of Parliament.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.