The entire Royal Family will attend a Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on 12th March to mark Commonwealth Day
Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, will be accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry & Meghan Markle, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra.
This will be the first time Meghan Markle will appear at an official engagement with the entire Royal Family and The Queen.
The Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent will be absent from the service due to other commitments.
The Commonwealth service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom, and it is organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society. The Commonwealth service will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC World to celebrate Her Majesty’s commitment to the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth represents 53 countries and almost 2.4 billion people. The theme of this year’s service is ‘Towards a Common Future’ and emphasizes how the Commonwealth can address global challenges to create a better future for all those in the Commonwealth. This link to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be held in April, with leaders from all 53 countries expected to attend.
The Commonwealth service will include a musical performance by artist Liam Payne and a reflection by Dr Andrew Bastawrous, an eye surgeon. Guests of honour will include the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister of Malta, The Hon Dr Joseph Muscat MP, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, alongside High Commissioners, Ambassadors and dignitaries, senior politicians from all over the UK and Commonwealth, faith leaders and over 800 school children and young people.
The Service will begin with a procession of Commonwealth Flags. The Queen and members of the Royal Family will meet with people involved in the Service and walk by the Commonwealth Flag Bearers as they are leaving.
After the service, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will walk through the Dean’s Yard to attend a reception.
In the evening, Prince Charles, Camilla and Prince William will be guests of the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the annual reception.