As with families around the world, Easter is an opportunity for the House of Windsor to come together and represents one of the few dates in the royal calendar when the family turns out in force.
Royal watchers will also wait to see if Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will be in attendance. The service has been framed by some as a litmus test for their standing within the royal family. Pictured, Princess Beatrice with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at the Easter Sunday church service in 2025
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Festivities usually kick off on Maundy Thursday, when the monarch visits a selected British cathedral to hand out special coins, in a ritual that recognises the contributions of men and women to their community and church. The ceremony has taken place every year in England since 600 AD. In 2023, the service took place in York Minster. The following year, the King was unable to attend due to his own cancer treatment, but he recorded a special message that emphasised the importance of friendship and service, as Queen Camilla distributed the Maundy Money at Worcester Cathedral on his behalf. Last year, the couple travelled to Durham for the special event. This year, it will take place at St Asaph Cathedral, in Wales.
The main event, however, is the whole royal family gathering at Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday. Every year, most members – including the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, and Princesses Beatrice and Princess Eugenie – come together for the church service at St George’s Chapel, where crowds of well-wishers gather in the castle grounds with flowers and presents. In years gone by, the royal family have reportedly followed the service with a traditional roast lamb lunch back at the castle. In years gone by, the royal family have reportedly followed the service with a traditional roast lamb lunch back at the castle.