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The annual Commonwealth Day Service took place at Westminster Abbey today—and anti-monarchy protesters made themselves very visible. A prominent gathering of protesters positioned themselves outside the Abbey ready for the royals to arrive in what was the first major republican protest since former Prince Andrew was arrested.
Holding yellow flags and banners with signs reading “What Did You Know?,” “Not My King,” “Down With The Crown,” and “Abolish the Monarchy,” the protesters also had megaphones to amplify their message. They were positioned across the street from the Abbey where the royals joined 1,800 guests for today’s annual service celebrating the Commonwealth.
“It’s definitely getting out of there,” Republic’s CEO Graham Smith told T&C today about their message and the response to the questions they have been asking since Andrew’s arrest on February 19. “We’re even seeing some of the royalist press asking the same question of what they knew when and so on. So that’s cut through enormously. We’re also seeing a lot of people asking the question, you know, can it survive and if not, what we do? So, you know, the whole issue is completely changed.”
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An anti-monarchy protester holds a placard reading What Did You Know? in relation to former Prince Andrew and the Epstein scandal outside Westminster Abbey,
Working members of the royal family have continued with their duties since Andrew’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office following the release of the Epstein Files. However, they have faced an unprecedented number of heckles at public events over the issue. Today’s appearance is the largest public gathering of senior royals since the arrest, and also the first time since then that the King and Queen have appeared alongside William and Kate.
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Anti-monarchy protesters hold signs that spell out “WHAT DID YOU KNOW.”
King Charles took over from Queen Elizabeth as head of the Commonwealth on her death in 2022. It is not a hereditary position but he was voted in as a future head in 2018 after Queen Elizabeth expressed her sincere wish that Charles should succeed her. There are currently 56 countries in the Commonwealth and 15 of them, including the UK, are Commonwealth Realms which have King Charles as Head of State.
In his Commonwealth Day message today, the King said, “We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility. Across our world, communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation. Yet it is often in such testing moments that the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth is most clearly revealed.”
Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures, released in 2021.