King Charles stepped out on Sunday to quietly attend church on the royal Sandringham estate. The monarch, 77, was seen without his wife, Queen Camilla, as he made his way into the church where the royal family gathers each Christmas.
Charles waved to onlookers who stood outside the church to gain a glimpse of the King. He wore his usual Sunday best attire – a tan overcoat, a grey suit, and smart suede shoes. He also carried an umbrella with a wooden handle.
© Bav MediaKing Charles' Commonwealth Day message
The outing came after Charles released a message ahead of Commonwealth Day on 9 March. The father of Prince William, who is head of the Commonwealth, warned of the "increasing pressures of conflict" and also spoke of the challenges caused by climate change and rapid transformation in the address to the nation, which comes ahead of the service at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
© Getty ImagesIn his message for Commonwealth Day 2026, His Majesty said: "We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility. 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."
Charles added: "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."
The annual message is shared with the 56 member nations and comes ahead of the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
Unprecedented change to Commonwealth service
In 2025, King Charles led the royal arrivals at the Commonwealth Day service in London alongside Queen Camilla. Also in attendance were the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
© UK Press via Getty ImagesThis year, there has been an unprecedented change made to the service as the live broadcast of Monday's service by the BBC has been axed. The broadcaster sparked outrage as the service has aired live for the last 37 years, apart from in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Instead, the BBC will show an episode of Escape to the Country on BBC One, citing "funding challenges" as the reason behind the decision.
© Getty ImagesA BBC spokesperson told HELLO! on Friday: "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. We can confirm BBC News plans to cover the service across its platforms, including the BBC One bulletins and rolling news channel."
