King Charles will make a major change to this year’s Easter celebrations with the royals as he continues to be treated for cancer. Last year he jubilantly broke convention to lead the Royal Family on foot as they walked to St George’s Chapel.
It was Charles’s first Easter as monarch and the spring sun was shining over Windsor when he and Queen Camilla led the tribe of senior royals in a sprightly stride to attend Easter morning service. How much has changed in just 12, sobering months.
Today’s service – officially known as the Eastern Matins Service – will be an altogether slimmer event.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will remain at their home, Amner Hall on the Sandringham estate, with their children George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five as Kate continues to strive for the recovery from cancer.
With Prince William no sharer of his father’s keen Christian faith, they are unlikely even to make the three-mile journey to attend morning service at their local Church of St. Mary Magdalene.
And, while cancer-stricken King Charles’ much hoped-for attendance today is, according to royal insiders, a sign of “things heading in the right direction”, he was unlikely to repeat last year’s walk.
Instead, he and the Queen are expected to revert to the royal car, a maroon Bentley State limousine brandishing its specially-commissioned Welsh dragon mascot, for the quarter-of-a-mile journey.
They will arrive last at the historic chapel and enter through the Gilbertus Door, a 13th century side door in one of the oldest parts of the chapel, which gives closer access to the royal pews.
“Royal ranks may have been thinned out by recent events and circumstances, but King Charles will muster as many members of his family as possible,” said Royal commentator Michael Cole.
Once inside they will follow doctor’s orders and sit separately from other members of the family attending.
Although Prince Edward has been endorsed as the family’s “leading man” while King Charles recovers, it will be Prince Andrew who, according to royal protocol, will head the mini-procession of remaining royals, which will include his brother Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and their children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, the Earl of Wessex.
“In the absence of Prince William and his brother Prince Harry, and their children, Andrew has precedence as eighth in line to the throne, despite the dark clouds that gather over his head as a result of his ill-judged friendship with the late, unlamented serial child abuser Jeffrey Epstein,“ said royal expert Michael Cole last night.
He is likely to be accompanied by his ex wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, another member of the so-called “royal cancer ward” after being diagnosed with both breast and skin cancer in the last 12 months.
Andrew’s sister, the Princess Royal, will also be there, together with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence, as will Princess Anne’s daughter Zara and her husband, former rugby international Mike Tindall. Her son, Peter Phillips, is abroad, however.
“The King is a man of faith. Easter has always been of great importance to him. He was determined to attend St. George’s Chapel, leading the Royal Family in the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, the most significant date in the Christian calendar,” said Michael Cole.
“Royal ranks may have been thinned out by recent events and circumstances, but he will muster as many members of his family as possible.”
