Today’s Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey was a show of unity among senior royals. In attendance were King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Notably absent, however, were Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have reportedly been in Italy for the Paralympics, though no photos of the couple have been published yet. Over the weekend, the Royal Family shared a message from Prince Edward wishing the GB Paralympics team good luck. “I just wanted to wish you all the best for the forthcoming Games in Italy, and I hope that that just as generally, but also in your individual competitions,” the Duke of Edinburgh said. “The Olympic team surprised so many of us, and I know that you’re going to go out there and surprise many as well, and you’re just going to be able to show them exactly what you can do. So, good luck, have fun, and however you’re involved in the team, I hope you really enjoy the experience.”
Last week, Sophie gave a rare interview about being a working royal. “My role, as with all members of the family, is to primarily support the King and the monarchy. That is one side of the focus,” The Duchess of Edinburgh said during a podcast episode that aired last week. “But also, we’re lucky enough to be able to fulfill our passions and our interests and these over my time as a member of the royal family have developed.”
Other senior working royals not in attendance at Commonwealth Day today included the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, who is semi-retired.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.