The royal family have their own traditions to celebrate Easter, like many people around the world.
While King Charles hosts the family at Sandringham at Christmas and Balmoral for the summer break, the royals flock to Windsor for the Christian holiday.
Much of their traditions take place in private, but all eyes will be on the Easter Sunday church service this year.
Charles, 75, will join the Queen and other members of the royal family at the annual Easter Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle this weekend in his first significant public appearance since his cancer diagnosis was announced in February.
But the service will be a smaller version of the annual gathering, with fewer members of the royal family as the King has paused public-facing duties while he continues treatment.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children will also miss church on Sunday as they spend Easter together privately, amid Kate's cancer diagnosis, which she revealed last Friday had been discovered in post-operative tests following her major abdominal surgery.
The Easter Sunday service takes place in the private chapel at St George's Chapel, a 14th century building located in the Lower Ward of the castle.
Crowds often gather here to welcome the royals before the service begins and afterwards many of the ladies receive bouquets from local children who have also attended church.
Over the years, Queen Elizabeth II was joined by immediate and extended members of her family on Easter Service, including her grandchildren, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips and all of their respective families.
© GettyArrivals at the service usually happen in reverse precedence, with the most senior members of the family coming last. The then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were said to have broken royal protocol when they arrived after the Queen in 2018, as the couple were held by traffic.
Following the church service, the royals usually return to Windsor Castle for a traditional roast lamb lunch.
While it's not known if the royal family all take part in a Easter egg hunt, events are usually held for visitors at royal residences up and down the country.
© GettyMeanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex was seen in her Netflix docuseries organising an Easter egg hunt for son Archie in her Montecito home with Prince Harry and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, when she was pregnant with Lilibet. Watch below…
Ahead of Easter Sunday, King Charles also attends the Maundy Thursday service, where he gives out special silver coins to pensioners from across the UK.
During the service, the Sovereign typically distributes gifts according to the number of years they have lived, so this year there will be 75 men and 75 women, signifying the King’s current age. The recipients are nominated by their local dioceses in recognition of their contributions to their local church and community.
© GettyThis year, amid the King's cancer treatment, Queen Camilla will represent her husband at the service, taking place at Worcester Cathedral in the West Midlands.
In previous years, Queen Elizabeth II was accompanied by family members, including the late Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Eugenie.
LOVE THE ROYALS? JOIN THE CLUB!
If you are reading this, the chances are you are obsessed with all things royalty – which is just as well because so are we! So obsessed, in fact, we’ve launched a club solely dedicated to covering them. So welcome to The HELLO! Royal Club. We would love you to join us there…
What is it?
Interactive community offering behind-the-scenes access, exclusive royal interviews, unmissable royal insights, and an illustrious royal Inner Circle.
Member benefits
- Two weekly newsletters, one from Emily Nash
- Video posts and audio notes from Emily Nash and the HELLO! Royal team
- Access to our royal community and opportunity to interact with club writers and members
- Participate in polls, comments and discussion threads
- Access to our Ask Me Anything sessions with our journalists
- Invitations to in-person and virtual events
- A subscription to the digital edition of HELLO! Magazine (Worth £82 annually)*
- Future ‘Inner Circle’ benefits
By royal decree
You are royally invited to join The HELLO! Royal Club – and then to go forth and spread the word to your fellow royal fans. See you in the club!
