The King has made his first appearance at a Commonwealth Day service for two years – as the Royal Family celebrated the association’s “powerful influence for good in the world”.
The monarch joined the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal at the annual event at Westminster Abbey.
It was his first appearance since 2023, after a cancer diagnosis forced him to postpone some public-facing duties throughout the last year.
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In his message for this year’s event – commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – the King said restoring the “disrupted harmony of our entire planet” is humanity’s most “important” task.
The monarch added in his written address in a Commonwealth booklet: “More than one and-a-half million men and women who served during the war came from across the Commonwealth to support the United Kingdom and its allies.
“On this special anniversary, we remember with particular pride and everlasting gratitude the untold sacrifice and selflessness of so many from around our family of nations who gave their lives in that dreadful conflict.”
Other attendees included Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, as well as singer-songwriter Geri Halliwell.
Maltese author Leanne Ellul and Cameroonian activist Cynthia Wakuna both read in the Abbey during the service, and singer Joan Armatrading performed her song Love And Affection to cap proceedings.
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.”
Later, at Buckingham Palace, former Olympian Sir Chris Hoy was handed a baton by the monarch, officially starting the countdown towards the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
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It comes after the King shared a playlist of songs to mark Commonwealth Day, with a selection including tracks that have made it “incredibly hard to sit still”.
The monarch hosted a one-off radio programme from his office at Buckingham Palace – featuring hits from Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue, Grace Jones and contemporary artists Davido and Raye – in collaboration with Apple Music.
Introducing Kylie’s The Loco-Motion in the broadcast, the King said: “This is music for dancing. Again, it has that infectious energy which makes it, I find, incredibly hard to sit still!”
