London (AFP) – The British royal family on Sunday attended a traditional Easter service at Windsor, making a show of family unity in their first appearance together since the arrest of the former Prince Andrew, whose family did not attend.
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On a sunny morning, King Charles III and his wife Camilla arrived at St George’s Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London, with a group of other royals that the BBC described as “slightly slimmed down”.
The family appeared together in public for the first time since the former Prince Andrew was arrested in February following revelations in the released messages of US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Charles, 77, is to make a state visit to the United States later this month, his first as monarch.
Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Princess of Wales, wearing a beige suit and hat, attended the service with their three children. The family smiled and waved at wellwishers as they entered the chapel.
Catherine attended the Matins service for the first time in three years. She was absent in 2024 as she underwent cancer treatment and her family opted not to attend last year’s event.
Also present were Charles’ brother, Prince Edward and his son and Charles’s sister Princess Anne with her husband.
The Epstein files have exposed the convicted financier’s longstanding ties with Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has also been stripped of her Duchess of York title.
Neither attended this year’s Easter service, while Andrew and Ferguson, who lived together until recently despite being divorced, made a surprise appearance at last year’s event.
Their daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, said ahead of the service that they had made alternative plans, although a royal source told AFP that they would be seen at future family celebrations.
Eugenie and Beatrice, who retain their princess titles, attended a Christmas church service last year without their parents.
Prince Edward went to see his isolated brother at Sandringham estate in eastern England this week, becoming the first royal to visit Andrew in two months, The Sun tabloid reported.
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