Easter Sunday brought the British royal family together at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, and as always, the ceremony conveyed much more than met the eye.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla presided over the service, a development that is already being viewed as entirely natural. Indeed, since Elizabeth II stepped down from that central role, the transition has been remarkably smooth.
Camilla provides support without needing to assert herself, and Charles assumes his role with composure.
That’s how things work at Windsor: everything continues as usual, even though the faces are no longer the same.
The presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales was the most talked-about moment
The true star of the day, however, was Kate Middleton. She had not attended this event for two years. In 2024, she announced her cancer diagnosis and stepped away from the media spotlight entirely to focus on her recovery.
By 2025, she confirmed that the disease was in remission and gradually resumed her commitments. Seeing her this year alongside Prince William and their three children was no small thing; it was a clear sign that her comeback is progressing steadily.
Who was not at the Easter service
Just as important as who was there is who was absent. Former Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Beatrice of York, and Eugenie of York were notably absent. The Palace explained that they had “alternative plans,” but that phrase sounds like a euphemism given the context.
The scandals surrounding Andrew, particularly his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and the documents that have continued to emerge, led Charles III to remove him from institutional life, strip him of his military titles, and exclude him from the active core of the family.
This move has also ended up affecting his closest circle, and his absence from Windsor is in line with the strategy of reducing certain presences at public and high-profile events.
Lunch at the Castle and the Traditions That Live On
After the ceremony, those in attendance, including Princess Anne and Edward, Earl of Edinburgh, proceeded to Windsor Castle for the customary family lunch. Roast lamb was served, and, in keeping with tradition, there was an Easter egg hunt in the gardens, an activity that has occasionally also been opened to the public.
These are small rituals that are repeated year after year and that, amid so much scandal and so much absence, serve as a reminder that the machinery of the monarchy continues to function.