UK
King attends Easter Sunday service but Prince and Princess of Wales absent
The King went walkabout, chatting and shaking hands with well-wishers after attending the traditional Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle in a rare public appearance since he was diagnosed with cancer.
The 75-year-old monarch, who has stepped back from major public engagements while receiving treatment, looked in good spirits for the occasion where he was joined by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
The King met well-wishers following the service. Pic: PA
As he emerged from St George’s Chapel, the King was greeted by cries of “Happy Easter” and applause from the public gathered outside, while Camilla was presented with a posy of white and yellow flowers by a young boy.
One man told the sovereign: “Keep going strong.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales were not at the service, coming just over a week after Kate released an emotional video message revealing she had started preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
Charles looked in good spirits as he arrived with the Queen. Pic: Reuters
The Princess Royal arrives for the Easter service. Pic: PA
Earlier, as Charles, wearing a dark coat and blue tie, arrived, one person shouted “Happy Easter”, to which he gestured with his arm and responded: “And to you.”
Anne Daley, 65, from Cardiff, Wales, holding up a Welsh flag, said: “He had a lovely smile. He looked well.
“I think he was happy that we’ve all come.”
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh joined the King at Windsor. Pic: PA
Prince Andrew was among the royal party. Pic: Reuters
The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, were among those to attend.
Kate, 42, William, 41, and their three children – George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Louis – are spending the Easter holidays together as they adjust to her diagnosis, which was discovered in post-operative tests after abdominal surgery.
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The King’s attendance at church will be seen as a move to reassure the public about his own health and following the the shock news about his daughter-in-law.
Kate’s video message followed weeks of speculation and conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts because she had not been seen on official engagements since last December.
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Speculation was fuelled further when she admitted editing a family photograph posted on Mother’s Day.
The King, who was diagnosed with cancer in February, is said to be “proud” of his “beloved” daughter-in-law for her “courage” in speaking about her treatment, while Harry and Meghan have also offered words of support.
Earlier this month, Charles said he had been reduced to tears by the messages and cards of support he had received.
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King Charles delivers Easter message
Despite his illness, the sovereign has been carrying out low-key official duties behind palace walls, including holding an audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and welcoming the high commissioners of Jamaica, Tanzania and Singapore.
Ahead of Easter, the King reaffirmed his coronation pledge “not to be served, but to serve” with “my whole heart” in an audio address broadcast to a congregation at Worcester Cathedral where the Royal Maundy service was held in his absence on Thursday.