Platinum Jubilee: Royals attend National Service of Thanksgiving
- Published
The National Service of Thanksgiving took place at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday 3 June, celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The Queen was unable to attend the service to mark her 70 years on the throne after experiencing "discomfort" during events on Thursday. At the age of 96, the Queen has been experiencing mobility problems in recent months and the palace had warned in advance that the monarch would consider which Jubilee events she felt able to attend.
The Queen is thought to have been watching on television as several members of the Royal Family and guests attended the service of thanksgiving. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were among the last to arrive.
Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge also attended the service but came without their children George, Charlotte and Louis.
Many well wishers lined the streets near to the cathedral in the hopes of catching a glimpse of those attending the Thanksgiving Service.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan also attended the service and received a warm response from the watching crowd who clapped and cheered their arrival.
The couple, who have stepped away from royal duties, were making their first appearance together at a royal event since 2020. The Queen had previously made it clear that her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, were very welcome at the Jubilee celebrations.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson also attended the service and gave a reading. He and his wife Carrie Johnson received a mixed reaction from the crowd as they arrived with some boos and cheers.
The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, also attended the service. Here he's pictured with speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrel also attended the National Service of Thanksgiving.
During the service the Queen was praised for "staying the course" as the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, referred to the monarch's love of horses as she is "still in the saddle", even though she was not able to attend. It was later announced that the Queen would also miss the Epsom Derby on Saturday - a horse racing event that she often attends - and would instead watch the event on television from Windsor Castle.