Princess of Wales joins royal family members in celebrating Commonwealth Day
Kate missed the Westminster Abbey service last year, as did Charles, with both receiving treatment for cancer during a troubling health scare period for the monarchy.
Twelve months later ,the Prince and Princess of Wales were photographed sharing a joke with the 2,000-strong congregation as they marked the Commonwealth's 'powerful influence for good in the world'.
The Commonwealth Day service is an important date in the royal calendar and a rare occasion when senior royals are seen together – and William and Kate were photographed exchanging kisses with the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester as they waited for the King to arrive.
Outside was a large vocal protest by the anti-monarchy group Republic who held up 'Down with the Crown' banners and the chant 'not my King, not my King' could be heard when Charles and Camilla were greeted by the Abbey's chapter or governing body.
Singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading performed one of her best known songs, Love And Affection, which had Anne swaying along to the music.
Armatrading said after the service: 'I was born in St Kitts so of course the Commonwealth means something to me and I think people need to appreciate the Commonwealth.
'The Commonwealth is about togetherness. You've got Europe, that's people being together, you've got America, that's people being together, and if you think about both of those places it is different little states coming together and that's what the Commonwealth is about, and it's bringing protection – economically, militarily and environmentally.'
In his Commonwealth Day message, the King said restoring the 'disrupted harmony of our entire planet' was the most 'important' task facing humanity.
Ahead of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the King also remembered the 'sacrifice and selflessness' of Commonwealth forces who answered the call to fight with Britain and her allies.
And he celebrated the unity the Commonwealth derives from its diversity: 'In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth's remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship.'
Performers from across the Commonwealth took part in the service, which featured hymns and prayers in support of the institution and its leaders, and Britain's Got Talent 2015 semi-finalists, violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason and his sister Jeneba accompanying on piano, played during the service.
Guests included hundreds of schoolchildren, diplomatic representatives from the Commonwealth's 56-member states, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and former Spice Girl Geri Horner.
Baroness Scotland, secretary-general of the Commonwealth, said the Act of Affirmation which included the words: 'United in kinship and common purpose, we cherish the rich tapestry of thought, culture, tradition, and experience which strengthens our bonds.'
At the end, the congregation responded: 'We affirm our belief in the Commonwealth as a powerful influence for good in the world, and pledge ourselves to its service, now and for the future.'
Graham Smith, chief executive officer of Republic who led the protests outside the Abbey, said: 'The royals need to stop using the Commonwealth as a vehicle for their own PR. Many Commonwealth countries, notably in the Caribbean, are talking about ditching the royals.
'These countries are also demanding reparations – a reasonable demand considering that Charles refuses to apologise for the royals' role in slavery, despite them profiting from the practice for hundreds of years.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Vicious' Meg is trying to one-up Kate with money-grabbing Netflix deal but it WON'T work, expert slams
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MEGHAN Markle has been labelled as "vicious" amid her latest venture - as her "Christmas special" clashes with Princess Kate's beloved holiday concert. Season 2 of Meghan's controversial cookery show will drop later this month - after she and Harry signed their latest deal with the streamer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Season 2 of Meghan's controversial cookery show will drop later this month Credit: Netflix 6 With Love, Meghan was blasted for being out of touch Credit: Netflix 6 Her Christmas Special may clash with Kate's holiday concert Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The couple announced yesterday they had signed a new "multi-year, first look deal" with the American streaming giant to produce "film and television projects" - despite doubts being cast on their future. The deal is a "downgraded" version of the couple's original $100million contract - with the US streaming giant only approving projects it likes. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously released a number of shows on the platform, including a 2022 documentary on their lives and Meghan's lifestyle show With Love, Meghan this year. But one show already earmarked to feature as part of the new deal is Meghan's own 'holiday special' this December. This will clash with the Princess of Wales' annual Christmas carol concert. Kate Middleton's annual Together At Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey is usually a heartfelt and profound end to the year. Royal Expert Hugo Vickers said the Christmas crossover is another example of Meghan trying to 'cap' her sister-in-law's work. This is especially harsh given how Kate's TV special celebrates charity work and is done for the benefit of 'the rest of the world' - rather than 'vicious' Meghan's need to keep 'money coming in'. He told The Sun: "It's always said that whenever Catherine the Princess of Wales starts something that Meghan Markle does something else to cap it, or in some ways clash with it. "Maybe that is the case. Obviously, there are lots of Christmas shows around Christmas. Harry & Meghan were 'not in a strong position' & signed Netflix deal for 'much less'… TV giant 'did it for publicity' "Having said that, of course, the initiative of the Princess of Wales at Westminster Abbey is incredibly moving and incredibly special, and is done for the benefit of the rest of the world, for all the people who've been suffering, all the people who've helped with charities, all that sort of thing, so it's all for the public good. "And I'm not quite convinced that Meghan Markle is going to be dissecting some more petals and scattering them over salads, or whatever she's going to be doing in California, is in quite the same league. "I can see how a Christmas special on the cards. "It's a bit like Downton Abbey, which ran and ran and ran and always had a Christmas special, which people tuned into." Hugo added: "Obviously Netflix is a very hard-nosed business operation, and they won't have taken them on just out of charity, or they obviously think it's worthwhile. And of course, she does have an enormous number of followers. "The one great thing that Harry and Meghan have in their favour is that anything they do, however trivial, seems to attract a lot of publicity, which must surely be good for Netflix. "They've got to rely on things like this, because they lead such an expensive lifestyle. And they just need money coming in, because the money must be pouring out." It comes after Newsweek's royal editor Jack Royston claimed the "rivalry" between Kate and Meghan is still going strong. Speaking on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, Jack shared: 'There was 100 per cent definitely a massive rivalry between the Sussexes and the Waleses dating back to when they were sharing a private office at Kensington Palace. 'And this sort of thing, you would absolutely cut and dry say, was a 100 per cent massive rivalry.' Both Meghan and Kate proudly shared photos of their kids artwork on social media in the same week - Kate posting on the Monday, and Meghan on the Thursday. One person commented: "She's so ever, a copycat!" And in an explosive tell-all chat with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan later claimed it was Kate that made her cry just days before her wedding. Previously, it was claimed Meghan left Kate in tears over her demands for Princess Charlotte's dress. In the announcement of the Netflix deal extension, Meghan said in a statement: 'We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand. "My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision.' Hugo said the announcement seemed "very Meghan-centric", leading on her ventures and only referring to Harry as her "husband". What appears to be his personal passion project was mentioned later on, a short film called "Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within". 'Meghan & Harry need to come up with a hit soon' By Matt Wilkinson JUST when you thought it was safe to turn the telly on again... Harry and Meghan are back. And their multi-year renewal with Netflix means they are not going away anytime soon. There have been tense negotiations in recent weeks but Netflix is so deeply involved with Meghan's As Ever brand it was always likely that the streaming giants would want them back. Make no mistake, Harry and Meghan would have been desperate for the deal to be renewed. They will likely be opening a bottle or two of As Ever Rose in Montecito. Because they have invested heavily in Archewell Productions and getting on board with Netflix is central not only to their post-Royal endeavours but more importantly crucial to their bank accounts. If they lost their Netflix money then how could they afford their life in the US? While the length of the deal or how much the couple are getting paid is vague we do know that Meghan will appear in a 'holiday special' in December that will likely clash with the Princess of Wales's annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey. And finally, two years after I revealed in The Sun the couple had bought the rights to the book Meet Me At The Lake, production is in active development. Sources close to the couple are coy about whether Harry or Meghan will appear on screen for the production of Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within which will air later this year. But perhaps the best piece of news from the announcement is no repeat of the six-part documentary which dumped on the Royal Family. However, 'Harry & Meghan' was a ratings dream and none of their projects since have been anywhere as successful. They need to come up with a hit soon. And this 'first look' deal means Netflix has the first option on new projects from the couple without any guaranteed commitment. But remember the Sussexes are not the only Royals to be in bed with Netflix. The King will feature in a documentary on The King's Foundation with Idris Elba. It will look at Uganda's Masaka region and the HIV/AIDS crisis there. This has echoes of Harry's mum Diana's work, who changed the world's view about HIV and Aids. Hugo commented: "His skill, of course, is totally different. He was trained to do things for the Army, the Commonwealth, Invictus Games, all those sort of things, which he's actually very good at, and that's where his skills should be used. "She is more of a red carpet Hollywood person, and so I'm not surprised at all that he is only a kind of walk-on part, but she needs him there every now and again. "As you will have seen if you watch the cookery programs, he has to come in at the end, you know, with a with a grin to show that he's onside about it. "And again, in the awful Oprah Winfrey interview, he was wheeled in at the end so that we knew that he knew about it. "So, husband? Yep, that's what it is. He is the husband of Meghan Markle now." Asked if he thinks Harry will make an appearance in Meghan's Season 2, he said: "He probably will. He usually does. He does what he's told." Hugo wishes Harry would do more charitable work and raise awareness of good causes, which would be more in line with the work of the Royal Family. "I'm all for him doing things for Uganda and for other countries like that. I wish he'd do more of it, because he's very good at it, he's very good at it, and he does attract attention to it, to these different enterprises. "Our royal family all are always doing things for the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, and they aren't seeking to do things for themselves, whereas Harry and Meghan are doing things for themselves. "If he can focus attention on issues in Uganda... That's what he's good at, and that's what he should do much more of, and I think we would greatly respect him if he did." Speaking about the contrast between Meghan's cookery show and Harry's more serious short film, Hugo said: "They are two very different people. "There's a huge contrast between focusing on issues that need to be thought about in Uganda, and being all sort of lovey in the kitchen. "We would take her happy kitchen life much more seriously if we hadn't seen the other Meghan in the Oprah interview. "We've seen how vicious she can be, which is the real Meghan Markle? "The one with the black eyeliner, spitting venom and fury against the royal family, or the one chopping up the petals and scattering them on the salads." He also slammed the show as out-of-touch - wondering if Meghan will heed the backlash to her first season. Across eight 33-minute episodes the mum-of-two made cringe jokes about her bacon, shared recipes with pals, learnt from celeb chefs and even became emotional over bees. But less than an hour after the release, harsh viewers already left scathing criticism. One penned on X: "I'm not even 30 seconds into the first episode and I already know that With Love, Meghan is the FAKESTEST stuff ever." Another added: "Six minutes of with love Meghan... ok only for richest bye bye." "All of Meghan Markle's 'recipes' can be found on Pinterest," claimed someone else. Hugo added: "I don't know about you, but you don't normally wear a white dress in the kitchen, and you usually have an apron of any sort. "It all looked a bit fake. It wasn't even her kitchen anyway. It all looks so easy, and it, yeah, it's out of touch, it's just not relevant. "And there are other people who are professional chefs who are very much better at it." The Sun approached Archewell for comment. 6 Meghan has carried out a number of business ventures this year Credit: Instagram 6 It is yet to be revealed whether Harry will appear in Season 2 Credit: BackGrid
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Lila Moss shows off her figure in leopard print bikini during on vacay with mom Kate
was soaking up the sun with her mom Kate in Formentera this week when she showed off a large white bandage on her bottom. The model, 22, wore a skimpy leopard print bikini while on the beach with Kate, 51, during their summer getaway - her glucose monitor for her type 1 diabetes was also on show. While at the beach one monitor was visible on her arm and her side, while the plaster was placed on the opposite side of her body. A representative for Lila has been contacted by Daily Mail for comment Lila looked stunning in her bandeau bikini as she wrapped a towel around her after taking a refreshing dip in the sea. Meanwhile Kate showed off her youthful figure in a brown triangle bikini and stylish shades as she spent quality time with her daughter. Just last month Lila fronted a new campaign as Barbie launched its first ever 'diabetic doll'. The 'diabetic' doll features a continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump - which Lila has spoken about having to use in the past. The toy company says it made the first Barbie with type 1 diabetes (T1D) so more children could see themselves reflected in their range of dolls. The young model previously discussed her condition during a segment on Vogue's In The Bag YouTube after making the unconventional decision to wear the monitor on the catwalk. She said: 'I have some sugar tablets, in case my blood sugar goes low. I'm diabetic so I have this which controls a pod on my leg, which gives me insulin. 'This is very important to keep in my bag, it comes with me everywhere.' The star - worried her essential device could get lost - added: 'I even have an apple air-tag to follow it around with my phone.' Speaking about her condition in 2020, Lila told The Kit: 'I think not many people know that I have diabetes. It's not visible from the outside, so no one would really know just by looking at you.' Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood to become too high. It happens when the body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose. Sufferers require daily insulin injections to keep their blood glucose levels under control. Kate has been on a recent health kick after turning her back on her wild partying ways of the past. She was thought to have given up alcohol in 2017 in favor of juice fasts and reformer Pilates, and even started to sell her own range of teas and skincare products through her beauty and wellness brand, Cosmoss. And while she has long struggled to give up her nicotine habit, just two years ago Kate - once hailed the 'greatest smoker of all time' - was seen puffing away on a vape in an attempt to give up the cigarettes.
Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Scotsman
39 nostalgic photos capture golden age of Butlin's holiday camps
These nostalgic photos capture half a century of fun at Butlin's holiday camps around the UK, from 1936 to 1985. From glamorous granny contests to square dancing, or simply relaxing by the pool, they show why the camps were so popular back then, pulling in punters from miles around. The first Butlin's in Skegness was officially opened on April 11, 1936, by the famous aviator Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. A second camp followed in Clacton, Essex, in 1938, and construction of a third, in Filey, Yorkshire, got underway in 1939. At its peak in the late 60s, there were 10 Butlin's holiday camps, and the famous firm also ran a number of large hotels. The camps' popularity declined with the rise of cheap overseas holidays in the 1960s, but there are still three Butlin's sites, in Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness. This retro photo gallery captures the golden age of Butlin's, from the 1930s to the 1960s. It also shows how, while they may have lost some of their sheen by then, the camps remained popular with many holidaymakers during the 1980s. Fairground rides, limbo competitions and sing-alongs are pictured, as are the famous monorails which opened at Skegness and Minehead in the 60s. You can see celebrity guests over the years too, from a royal visitor to F1 champions and a boxing star. These evocative photos also show families enjoying the boating lake, honeymooning couples relaxing beside the pool, and, of course, the famous Redcoats preparing for duty in their chalet. The pictures depict too how the camps were taken over by the armed forces during the Second World War, when troops could be seen preparing for action with signs advertising bikes and mechanical horses for hire in the background. The Butlin's story began when founder Billy Butlin visited Barry Island and felt sorry for families there staying in 'drab' guest houses with little to do. He set out to make seaside breaks affordable for all, creating a 'place of colour and happiness', with plenty of entertainment for visitors of all ages. Key to that were the famous Redcoats, the team of workers who looked after and entertained guests at Butlin's holiday camps. That role has proved a springboard to success for many stars of light entertainment, from Des O'Connor and Jimmy Tarbuck to Stephen Mulhern. These photos are sure to bring back memories of Butlin's for anyone who grew up during the 60s, 70s and 80s or earlier and was lucky enough to visit with their families. Many of them have probably continued the family tradition by treating their children or grandchildren to a day out or a week away at one of the remaining Butlin's resorts. Ice cream is a big part of any trip to the seaside. But how many of these popular ice creams of the 60s, 70s and 80s do you remember? 1 . Wave for the camera Holidaymakers on a fairground ride at Butlin's in Skegness in June 1936 | Getty Images Photo: Fox Photos Photo Sales 2 . Boating lake Holidaymakers on and beside the boating lake at Butlin's in Minehead, Somerset, in around 1964 | Getty Images Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive Photo Sales 3 . How low can you go? Redcoats watch as a holidaymaker competes in the limbo competition at the Butlin's Holiday Camp in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, in June 1985 | Getty Images Photo: Bryn Colton Photo Sales 4 . Monorail A monorail train at Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, in around 1967 | Getty Images Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive Photo Sales
