The King and Queen Consort of England attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 13, marking the King's first as monarch. Also in attendance were the
Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Upon arrival at the Abbey, Their Majesties received a traditional Māori greeting from the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club. During the service, which was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, the King delivered his Commonwealth Day message from the Great Pulpit.
He paid tribute to his late mother, the Queen, who regarded Commonwealth Day as a source of particular pride, and celebrated the Commonwealth family, to whose service she dedicated her life. He expressed his amazement and inspiration at the diversity of the Commonwealth, as well as its potential to serve as a force for good in the world. He urged the Commonwealth to strive for its highest ambition and to unite and be bold in tackling the challenges it faces.
The service included musical performances by West End stars, the all-female Amalgamation Choir from Cyprus, and saxophonist YolanDa Brown. The Rwandan National Ballet, Urukerereza, performed, marking Rwanda's role as the current Commonwealth Chair-in-Office. A young Samoan environmental advocate and a previous recipient of a Commonwealth Youth Award, Brianna Fruean, read a reflection. Minister Biruta, Representative of the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, read from Isaiah 11:1-9.
Prayers were led by the Reverend Robert Latham, Minor Canon and Sacrist, and faith leaders Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, Lord Singh of Wimbledon, Rabbi Charley Baginsky, and the Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala offered words of blessing for the Commonwealth. The Right Honourable Baroness Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, led the Act of Affirmation to the Commonwealth.
The service was sung by The Choir of Westminster Abbey, conducted by Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers. The organ was played by Peter Holder, Sub-Organist.
The congregation, which numbered 2,000, included High Commissioners, senior political figures from the UK and the Commonwealth, faith leaders, and some of the home nations athletes who competed at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year. More than 750 children from schools and youth groups also attended.
The Commonwealth is an association of 56-member states with a combined population of 2.5 billion citizens, almost a third of the world's people. Commonwealth countries span Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific and are diverse – they are amongst the world’s largest, smallest, richest, and poorest countries. The Commonwealth Service, held on the second Monday of March each year, celebrates the people and cultures of all of the Commonwealth nations. Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikimedia commons.