King Charles will not be sitting with royal family at Easter church service
King Charles and Queen Camilla won’t be sitting with the rest of the royal family during Easter service on Sunday in an effort to protect the monarch’s health.
The 75-year-old king will also not host post-church lunch at Windsor Castle, as has been tradition for centuries, The Telegraph reported Friday.
The move, which will see the couple seated away from the main congregation at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, comes amid news of the king’s cancer diagnosis last month. It will mark his first appearance at a public event since beginning treatment.
The service will not be attended by Prince William and Kate Middleton, who announced her own cancer diagnosis last week.
Charles’ sister, Princess Anne, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, have previously sat with him at Easter service, as have other royals such as Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Since his diagnosis, Charles has been determined to maintain a public profile and reassure the nation that he’ll continue with his royal duties.
On Thursday, the king sent a video message praising the “selfless staff” honored at the Royal Maundy Service, which was attended by his wife and annually precedes Easter Sunday. A commemoration of the Last Supper, the tradition sees the monarchy distribute money to local pensioners.
Charles — who was crowned king last year following the 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II — was hospitalized this January for an enlarged prostate, which was said to be benign. A few weeks later, Buckingham Palace announced that “a form of cancer” was discovered but did not specify what type, only saying it was “unrelated.”
He was first seen by the public a few days later, waving to well-wishers as he attended church services near his residence at Sandringham Estate, a little over 100 miles north of London.
Kate, who was recovering from abdominal surgery at the time of her father-in-law’s hospitalization, was initially expected to return to royal duties after Easter. But last week, while confirming her diagnosis and that she’s undergoing chemotherapy, the Princess of Wales said she’ll do so only when she’s able.
“The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team,” a palace spokesperson said following the announcement. “She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery.”
A palace insider this week told People that she may sometimes attend royal events amid treatment if she’s feeling well enough.
