Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, joined other members of the British royal family on Friday in a church service in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s 70th birthday on the throne.
The Queen herself skipped the event at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Paul of London because of the difficulties in moving that have limited the public commitments of the 96-year-old monarch in recent months.
But royal observers quickly shifted their focus to Harry and Meghan when they made their first public appearance at the platinum jubilee festivities.
Harry and Meghan, who left the royal office and moved to California two years ago, kept a low profile during the celebrations held on Thursday, the first of four days of celebrations. The couple only appeared in photographs taken through the windows of the building from which members of the royal family watched the queen’s birthday parade.
The couple played a more public role on Friday, entering the church on their own, holding hands and advancing through the long nave of the cathedral in front of the tallest members of the royal family. People inside the church stretched their necks to look.
British Prince Charles arrives at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday. (Daniel Leal / The Associated Press)
The Thanksgiving service took place on the second of four days of celebration celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. On Thursday, thousands of royal supporters applauded as the queen joined other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch 70 British military planes pass by.
The queen decided not to attend church service on Friday after experiencing “some discomfort” during Thursday’s events. She had to watch the event on television while Prince Charles replaced her.
The Congregation of St. Paul’s included members of the royal family, senior politicians, diplomats, and more than 400 essential workers, charity volunteers, and members of the armed forces who were invited in recognition of their service to the community.
The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell delivered the sermon. Cottrell intervened after the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tested positive for COVID-19. The service began and ended with the ringing of Great Paul, the bell of Britain’s largest church.
TARGET | Public appearances of the royal family on the 1st day of the platinum jubilee:
4 generations of royals attend the first day of the Platinum Jubilee festivities
The United Kingdom began the first of four days of the Platinum Jubilee festivities with the appearance of four generations of members of the royal family.