After cancer battles, King Charles and Princess Kate return for Commonwealth service—amid protests.
King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales, made a highly anticipated return to the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey—their first appearance in two years after both missed last year due to cancer treatment.
The event, meant to celebrate the Commonwealth’s global influence, brought together senior royals including Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Anne, alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. While the service aimed to highlight unity and resilience, a crowd of anti-monarchy protesters from Republic stood outside the Abbey holding signs reading “Not My King” and “Down with the Crown”—a stark reminder of the monarchy’s deepening public divide.
King Charles, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer, took the opportunity to pay tribute to the 1.5 million Commonwealth troops who fought in World War II, ahead of the war’s 80th anniversary commemorations. In his official message, included in the service booklet, he honoured the “sacrifice and selflessness” of those who served and emphasised that restoring the “disrupted harmony of our planet” was the most critical challenge facing humanity today.
Meanwhile, Princess Kate, who recently completed chemotherapy, was seen smiling alongside Prince William, marking an emotional return to public royal duties after a turbulent year for the family.
Inside the Abbey, the event was a vibrant cultural showcase. The Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa, a Hindu-Scottish pipe band, performed outside, while the service featured acrobats, singers, and musicians from the Masai Cultural Arts team. Violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason and his sister Jeneba delivered a stirring musical performance, adding to the ceremony’s grandeur.
This year’s Commonwealth Day theme, “Together We Thrive”, focused on strength in diversity, with the Dean of Westminster highlighting the love and resilience that bind the Commonwealth’s nations.
However, despite the royal family’s effort to project unity, the anti-monarchy protests served as a stark counterpoint. As the King and Kate made their way out of Westminster Abbey, demonstrators continued their chants, a reminder of the monarchy’s growing scrutiny in the UK.
For the royal family, the Commonwealth Day service was a chance to show resilience and continuity. Yet, with public sentiment becoming increasingly divided, their presence is no longer met with universal approval.
