Commonwealth Day Service & Reception

Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey
Picture credit: Westminster Abbey/Picture Partnership

Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations (AKA the British Commonwealth). It is held on the second Monday in March each year.

Service

Each year on Commonwealth Day, a service is held at Westminster Abbey in London. The service is attended by the Monarch and a number of working royals. As part of the service the Monarch gives a Address. The address has been given in many forms over the years: In person speech, pre-recorded audio and printed in the program. 

The Service usually begins at 2:45 PM. And airs live on BBC 1. 

• Commonwealth Day Addresses
• Queen Elizabeth II
• King Charles III

Reception

Commonwealth Day Reception 2013
Photo: Commonwealth Secretariat

During Queen Elizabeth's reign a reception was held after the service by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at Marlborough House. And was usually attended by a couple. In 2023, during the first year of King Charles's reign, he hosted the reception at Buckingham Palace and attended by almost all of the royals attending the service. 

Royals Attending Service & Reception:

King Charles III's Reign

Boxes in blue represent the Royals in the Procession that year.

Royal	2023	2024	2025 March 10th	2026	2027	2028	2029
Charles	x		X	-	-	-	-
Camilla	x			-	-	-	-
William	x			-	-	-	-
Kate	x		X	-	-	-	-
Edward	x			-	-	-	-
Sophie	x			-	-	-	-
Anne	x			-	-	-	-
Tim	x			-	-	-	-
Duke of Gloucester		x		-	-	-	-
Duchess of Gloucester		x		-	-	-	-
Duke of Kent		x		-	-	-	-
Buckingham Palace Reception	All from Service, except for Kate			-	-	-	-
Attend  Secretary-General's  Reception	No Reception	Camilla	Charles & Camilla	-	-	-	-

Notes:

2023: Princess Kate was initially announced as attending the reception, but did not. The Palace then stated she was never scheduled to attend. 

2024: King Charles was undergoing Cancer Treatment. Princess Kate was on Sick Leave following recovering from Abdominal Surgery.

Queen Elizabeth II's Reign

2021-2022

Boxes in Blue represent the Royals in the Procession that year.

	2021	2022
Queen Elizabeth	*	Canceled
Charles	*	X
Camila	*	x
William	*	x
Kate	*	x
Edward
Sophie	*
Anne		-
Alexandra		X
Other Royals		(Duke & Duchess of Gloucester canceled  due to Covid)
Attend Secretary-General Reception	No Reception	Charles

Notes:

2022 - This was Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee Year.

2021 - the service was held digitally due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The royals listed * participated in the digital service. 

2011- 2020

Boxes in Blue represent the Royals in the Procession. Boxes in Green represent Royals who were listed in the order of Service as being apart of the Procession but weren’t actually. 

	2011	2012 (Diamond Jubilee)	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Queen Elizabeth	x	x	Sick	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Philip	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	Retired
Charles		x		x	x		x	x	x	x
Camilla		x		x	x		x	x	x	x
William					x	x		x	x	x
Kate					x	x		x	x	x
Harry						x	x	x	x	x
Meghan	Pre-Wedding							x	x	x
Andrew						x	x	x	x
Edward				x			x			x
Sophie		x		x				x		x
Anne								x
Duchess of Gloucester								x
Alexandra								x
Other Royals	Did not Attend
Attend Secretary-General Reception	Queen	Queen Philip					Charles Camilla	Charles Camilla  William	Charles Camilla

Note: 

2017- Year of the big media uproar about Prince William & Princess Kate not attending.

2001- 2010

Boxes in Blue represent the Royals in the Procession.

	2001	2002 (Golden Jubilee)	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Queen Elizabeth	x	x	x	x	x	Out of  Country	x	x	x	x
Philip	x	x	x	x	x		x	x	x	x
Charles		x		x		x
Camilla	Pre-Wedding					x
Other Royals	Did not Attend
Attend Secretary-General Reception	Queen Philip Charles	?	Queen Philip			Charles Camilla	Queen Philip			Queen Philip Charles Camilla

1991- 2000

	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Queen Elizabeth	x	?	Sick	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Philip	?	?			x	x	Out of  Country	x	x	Out of  Country
Charles	?	?					x			x
Edward	?	?	x
Anne	?	x
Other Royals	Did not Attend
Attend Secretary-General Reception	?	?	?	?	?	?	Queen Charles	Queen	Queen Philip	Queen Charles

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