- Members of the royal family gather at Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day service
- Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie quietly leave UK on key mission
- Couple’s reps share details of Sophie and Edward’s new trip
King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by senior members of the royal family at Westminster Abbey on Monday for an important date in the royal calendar: the Commonwealth Service.
The Prince and Princess of Wales attended alongside the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. However, in a surprise turn of events, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were notably absent.
Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are considered key players in Charles’ reign. So it was strange that they weren’t at the event, unless they had some other discreet mission.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have confirmed GB News that they had traveled to Italy to support Team GB at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics.
However, the news has not been officially announced by the Palace for the couple.
The update comes after the Duke of Edinburgh, patron of the British Paralympic Association, shared an uplifting message for the team, not only wishing them well, but also encouraging them to enjoy their competitions.
“The Olympic team surprised a lot of us, and I know you’re going to go out there and surprise a lot of us too, and you’re just going to be able to show them exactly what you can do,” he said.
“So, good luck, have fun, and however involved you are with the team, I hope you really enjoy the experience.”
