King Charles and Queen Camilla participated in the traditional Easter Matins service at Windsor Castle on Sunday. They were joined by Prince William, the king’s eldest son and heir apparent, along with his wife Catherine and their three children at St George’s Chapel. This annual service holds significant importance for the king, who serves as the supreme governor of the Church of England.
The Dean of Windsor, Christopher Cocksworth, welcomed Charles and Camilla, who arrived wearing a striking red hat and coat. Other members of the royal family present included Prince Edward and Anne, the Princess Royal. After the service concluded, Charles and Camilla greeted the gathered crowd, with the queen receiving a posy of flowers and exchanging Easter wishes.
Notably absent from the event was the monarch’s younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who faced arrest in February over allegations of misconduct in public office. He had attended last year’s Easter service accompanied by his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, also did not attend Sunday’s gathering. It was reported that their absence was a personal decision rather than one directed by King Charles.
In a related development, King Charles refrained from delivering an Easter message this year. Meanwhile, the family of Virginia Giuffre, an accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, urged the king to meet survivors during his upcoming state visit to the United States later this month. This visit coincides with the anniversary of Giuffre’s death. Giuffre had accused the late financier Epstein of trafficking her to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17. Andrew has denied these allegations and claimed no memory of meeting Giuffre. He reached an out-of-court settlement with her in 2022 without admitting any wrongdoing.
Separately, Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to lead the Church of England, delivered her inaugural Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday, marking a historic moment for the church.
