King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the traditional Easter Sunday Matins service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, London, on April 20. The 76-year-old monarch who continues to receive treatment following a cancer diagnosis in 2024, was joined by his sister, Princess Anne – the Princess Royal, and brother Prince Andrew – the Duke of York.
This annual service remains a key event in the royal calendar, particularly for the monarch who serves as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Warm greetings and a public appearance
After the service, King Charles and Queen Camilla briefly greeted well-wishers gathered outside the 15th-century chapel. Camilla, dressed in pale blue and carrying a posy of flowers, smiled and wished the crowd “Happy Easter”.
Prince Andrew’s rare appearance after Epstein & Giuffre controversy
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, made a rare public appearance during the Easter Sunday 2025 service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, marking one of his few formal outings since stepping back from public life amid a series of scandals.
His attendance came after missing the royal family’s traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham in 2024, following renewed scrutiny over alleged ties to a Chinese spy.
Prince Andrew’s retreat from public duties dates back several years. He stepped down in 2019 after widespread criticism over his close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender.
In 2022, he paid an undisclosed multi-million-pound settlement to Virginia Giuffre, a woman who had accused him of sexual assault—allegations he has repeatedly denied. Despite claiming he never met her, Andrew settled the civil lawsuit out of court in the US.
In the wake of the scandal, Queen Elizabeth II took decisive steps to distance the monarchy from the controversy. She stripped Andrew of his honorary military titles, royal patronages, and the use of the HRH title (“His Royal Highness”) in any official capacity.
Prince Andrew arrived with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, and Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, underscoring a quiet but visible return to royal events.
Wales family absent again
Notably missing were Prince William and Princess Kate, along with their children George, Charlotte, and Louis. The family is spending Easter privately at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. They also missed the service in 2024, shortly after Princess Kate’s own cancer diagnosis.
King’s Easter message reflects on war and compassion
In his customary Easter message, released ahead of Sunday’s service, King Charles reflected on the paradox of human nature—“how we are capable of both great cruelty and great kindness.”
“This paradox of human life runs through the Easter story and in the scenes that daily come before our eyes,” he said, referencing both “terrible images of human suffering” and “heroic acts in war-torn countries.”
The King emphasised the enduring need for “faith, hope, and love.”
“The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world-the whole world—that he sent his son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death.”
Royal family members in attendance
In addition to King Charles and Queen Camilla, other attendees included:
Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence
Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, with their son James, Earl of Wessex
Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
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