King Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton and more are expected to attend this year's service
Credit: Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- King Charles is set to the lead the royal family at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2026
- However, the BBC announced they won’t air the broadcast of the event as they usually do, marking a first since 1989
- Prince William and Kate Middleton are expected to attend this year’s service, which will be the largest royal gathering since the former Prince Andrew’s arrest
Members of the British royal family will step out on Monday, March 9, for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. However, for the first time since 1989, the BBC won't be broadcasting the annual celebration.
The BBC traditionally airs the ceremony, which celebrates the member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations with a multi-faith service each March. However, the network announced that it won't broadcast this year's event, with an episode of Escape to the Country, a long-running reality TV show that follows prospective homeowners leaving city life, airing in the timeslot.
"Our decision not to broadcast the Commonwealth Day Ceremony in the same way we’ve done in previous years reflects the difficult choices we have to make in light of our funding challenges," the BBC said in a statement, per Hello! magazine. "We can confirm BBC News plans to cover the service across its platforms, including the BBC One bulletins and rolling news channel."
The BBC has aired the event each year since 1989, except in 2021, when it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Credit: Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty
The Commonwealth Day service is a staple on the royal family's calendar, and this year's ceremony will mark the largest royal gathering since the former Prince Andrew's arrest last month. King Charles is expected to be joined by Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton and more royals as part of the 1,800-strong congregation.
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King Charles, 77, also releases a message for Commonwealth Day, with this year's address focusing on being a “force for good” in confronting the world's challenges.
“We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility,” the King says in a preview of the full speech released over the weekend. “Across our world, communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation. Yet it is often in such testing moments that the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth is most clearly revealed.”
He continues, “Working together, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to stand as a force for good — grounded in community, committed to the kind of restorative sustainability that has a return on investment, enriched by culture, steadfast in its care for our planet, and united in friendship and in the service of its people.”
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