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British Royals Gather for Easter Service, With Andrew and His Family Absent
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 5, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 5, 2026
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King Charles and Queen Camilla joined Prince William, Catherine and their children for Easter Matins at Windsor; Prince Andrew and his daughters were absent amid Andrew’s February arrest for alleged misconduct in public office, marking the first royal arrest in centuries.
King Charles Attends Royal Easter Service; Andrew and Family Absent from Windsor
Royal Family's Easter at Windsor Castle
LONDON, April 5 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the traditional Easter service at Windsor Castle on Sunday, joined by his eldest son and heir to the throne Prince William, wife Catherine, and their three children at St George's Chapel.
The Easter Matins service is an important fixture in the calendar of the king, who is supreme governor of the Church of England.
Attendees and Ceremony Details
The Dean of Windsor, Christopher Cocksworth, greeted Charles and Camilla, who wore a red hat and coat, as they arrived for the Easter Matins, which was also attended by Prince Edward and Anne, the Princess Royal, and other royals.
Charles and Camilla, who was handed a posy of flowers, wished "Happy Easter" to members of the crowd after the service ended.
Notable Absences from the Service
The monarch's younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested in February by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, was absent after attending last year's Easter gathering accompanied by ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, were also absent on Sunday. The decision to miss Sunday's service was the princesses' choice, not Charles', a royal source said last week.
Controversies Surrounding Prince Andrew
King Charles, who did not deliver an Easter message this year, was urged on Saturday by the family of Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre to meet survivors during his state visit to the U.S. later this month. They said the trip coincided with the anniversary of her death.
Giuffre had accused the late U.S. financier Epstein of trafficking her to Mountbatten-Windsor, when she was 17.
The disgraced former prince, who has denied the allegations and said he had no recollection of meeting Giuffre, reached an out-of-court settlement with her in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing.
Other Easter Services Across England
Separately, Sarah Mullally, the archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to head the Church of England, delivered her first Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday.
(Reporting by Suban Abdulla;Editing by Helen Popper)
Key Takeaways
- •The Easter Matins at St George’s Chapel remains a central Church of England tradition led by the King, attended by key royals such as William and Catherine with their children, and Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
- •Prince Andrew’s absence marks a shift in royal norms following his arrest on February 19, 2026 — his 66th birthday — on suspicion of misconduct in public office connected to Jeffrey Epstein-related documents; he was released under investigation the same day (apnews.com).
- •Sarah Mullally delivered her first Easter sermon as Archbishop of Canterbury — the first woman to lead the Church of England — emphasizing resurrection, resilience, and safeguarding survivors of abuse (archbishopofcanterbury.org).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about British royals gather for Easter service, with Andrew and his family absent
1Who attended the Easter service at Windsor Castle?
King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Catherine, their children, Prince Edward, and Princess Anne attended the Easter service.
2Why was Prince Andrew absent from the Easter service?
Prince Andrew was absent following his arrest in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
3Did Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attend the service?
No, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were also absent, which was their own choice.
4Did King Charles deliver an Easter message this year?
No, King Charles did not deliver an Easter message this year.
5Who delivered the Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral?
Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, delivered her first Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral.
