King Charles Shares Heartwarming Moment with Granddaughter at Windsor Easter Gathering
In an adorable display of familial affection, King Charles was captured tenderly greeting his granddaughter Princess Charlotte outside St George's Chapel in Windsor ahead of the Easter Sunday service. The 77-year-old monarch briefly stood outside the historic chapel's doors to sweetly touch the young princess on her shoulder, creating a touching moment between grandfather and granddaughter.
Royal Procession and Family Arrivals
The King, looking full of good spirits despite the chill winds, warmly waved to the assembled crowd before greeting his family members. Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in the State Bentley, with Camilla sporting a striking red wool crepe dress by designer Fiona Clare and a Philip Treacy hat adorned with a brooch that had previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.
Senior royals had earlier been led by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children on foot from Windsor Castle, braving the blustery conditions for the traditional procession. The large and notably young royal party chatted happily as they made their way to the chapel, presenting a united family front to the public.
Young Royals Steal the Show
Princess Charlotte, sporting a pretty dress beneath a warm camel-coloured coat with a distinctive brown velvet collar and cuffs, looked absolutely delighted throughout the proceedings and enthusiastically waved to the crowd. Her younger brother Prince Louis walked proudly beside her, adding to the charming scene of royal children participating in the Easter tradition.
Also present in the group were The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, alongside The Duke of Edinburgh and his 18-year-old son James, Earl of Wessex. The gathering represented a broad cross-section of the royal family coming together for the important religious occasion.
Notable Absences and New Additions
Notable by their absence at the Easter Matins service were Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. With the King's agreement, they had made alternative plans and missed the traditional gathering. Sources have maintained that they will join the Royal Family at future occasions, but in current circumstances it was decided they would stay away.
Peter Phillips attended with his fiancée Harriet Sperling and his daughters Savannah and Isla. In a sign of the new, blended royal family, Ms Sperling's 15-year-old daughter Georgina was also in attendance with her future step-sisters, marking her first appearance at such a significant royal event.
Contrast with Previous Years
The gathering presented a marked contrast to last year's Easter service, when Charles and Camilla were joined by the former Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at the 15th century chapel. Since that time, Andrew has been stripped by the King of both his right to be a prince and his dukedom over his association with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, though Beatrice and Eugenie have retained their princess titles.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, who missed last year's service as they were spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk, were also absent in 2024 as the event came just over a week after Catherine released an emotional video message disclosing that she had started a course of preventative chemotherapy.
At the rear of the group were Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel, completing the representation of royal family members who gathered to celebrate Easter together despite the challenging weather conditions and ongoing family complexities.
