Princess Kate and Duchess Sophie join Charles for first Commonwealth Day service as King – live updates

The Prince and Princess of Wales will be joined by the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla attend their first Commonwealth Day service of their reign.

The King is expected to deliver a message marking the occasion from the Great Pulpit in Westminster Abbey, and will no doubt, pay tribute to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

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The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also join the other senior royals in the procession.

As we wait for the royals to arrive, here’s what we know about the service.

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Members from the Ngati Ranana London Maori Club perform a haka

Charles is now head of the Commonwealth, following in the late Queen’s footsteps after she successfully lobbied for him to take on the role.

A Commonwealth flag for peace will be carried in the procession of Commonwealth members’ flags to mark 2023 as Commonwealth Year of Peace.

The service will include musical performances from saxophonist Yolanda Brown, West End stars Roshani Abbey and Nuwan Hugh Perera, and the all-female Amalgamation Choir, from Cyprus.

Geri Horner is among the guests

Guests of honour among the 2,000-strong congregation will include the Commonwealth secretary-general, the prime minister of Samoa, high commissioners, senior politicians and dignitaries from across the UK and the Commonwealth.

Also attending will be athletes from the home nations who competed at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last summer, as well as faith leaders, and more than 750 schoolchildren and young people from throughout the UK.

Afterwards, Charles, Camilla and the attending members of the royal family will entertain the Commonwealth secretary-general, high commissioners, foreign affairs ministers and other members of the Commonwealth community at a Buckingham Palace reception.

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