Royals give thanks for Queen’s 70 years of service as she watches on TV at Windsor

The Service of Thanksgiving to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was held today at St Paul’s Cathedral, without the Monarch in attendance.

Prince Charles led the wider Royal Family in attendance, and was joined by The Duchess of Cornwall, seated next to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince Charles and Camilla greet Prince William and Kate ahead of the service (Kensington Palace)

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Princess Anne and Sir Tim were sat beside the Cambridges.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex with Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, were sat on the other side of the aisle, with The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.

In the row behind were the non-working Royals, including Mike and Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice and Edo, Princess Eugenie and Jack, followed by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have flown in from the US for the weekend of celebrations.

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The entire Royal Family attended the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s today (Clarence House)

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The remaining guests included the Prime Minister and his wife, Carrie, who were booed on their way into the cathedral, as well as the Home Secretary, Mayor of London, military personnel and charity representatives. Guests totalled .

The Duke of York and the Archbishop of Canterbury missed the service after it was announced they had both contracted Covid-19. Justin Welby was replaced by the Archbishop of York, the Stephen Cottrell.

Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, led the blessing for the service, and revealed earlier that morning that her coat for the occasion ‘was designed for men’ so ‘it doesn’t sit quite as well on me’.

Dame Sarah added that Her Majesty’s Christian faith has ‘always shaped her’ and she felt privileged to play a part in the service and ‘give thanks’ to The Queen for her service to the country.

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A new song was used at the service, ‘By Wisdom’, by Judith Weir, Master of The Queen’s Music.

A Lord Mayor’s reception at the Guildhall followed, attended by all except the Sussexes.

The Queen had a ‘lovely’ time at Thursday’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, The Duchess of Cambridge told a guest at the Guildhall reception, but found the day ‘very tiring’.

The Lord Mayor’s reception at Guildhall (City of London Twitter)

The Palace has confirmed that Her Majesty will not attend the Epsom Derby tomorrow, on the third day of celebrations, and is planning to watch from Windsor Castle instead. The Princess Royal will attend in her absence.

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