Why the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were absent from Scottish coronation

The King and Queen were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales at a special thanksgiving service in Edinburgh, Scotland, to mark Their Majesties' coronation on Wednesday.

While the Princess Royal attended a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse with Charles and Camilla on Tuesday, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were not among the senior royals at the ceremony.

Prince Edward and Sophie had engagements in London, with the couple attending a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 75^th anniversary of the NHS.

The Duchess, 58, looked beautiful in a pink floral midi-length tea dress by Suzannah London with nude heels. She wore her blonde tresses in a half-updo and accessorised with a matching disc-shaped necklace and earrings.

© Getty

Meanwhile, the Duke, 59, wore a navy suit and a pink patterned tie, which complemented his wife's outfit.

Earlier in the day, Sophie also opened the King's Academy in London, which is a new education and training academy for nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals.

In images shared by King's College NHS, the Duchess, wearing a polka dot dress, could be seen cutting a colourful tiered cake.

On Wednesday evening, Sophie will also take the salute at Beating Retreat – an annual military concert on Horse Guards Parade in London.

Edward and Sophie, who reside at Bagshot Park in Surrey, are parents to Lady Louise Windsor, 19, and James, Earl of Wessex, 15.

The King conferred the dukedom of Edinburgh on his younger brother and his wife to mark Edward's 59^th birthday in March.

© Getty

It's been a busy few months for the royal family, with the King and Queen's coronation at Westminster Abbey in May.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were joined by Lady Louise and James at the service in London and at the star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle – where Sophie showcased her sultry dance moves – watch below…

But Lady Louise and her brother James were noticeably absent from Trooping the Colour – the King's birthday parade – in June. The siblings are not expected to carry out royal duties once they have finished their education.

Lady Louise is currently studying English at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, while James will be in his final year of secondary school as of September.