The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have dropped out of the Queen's procession at the Commonwealth Day Service this afternoon.

The announcement was made shortly after it was revealed that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will also skip the formal entrance.

Both couples were part of the procession last year.

Neither Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace has commented on why the last minute change has been made.

A source said the amendments were made on Sunday – the day before the event, despite the Order of Service already having been signed off and printed.

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Today's service will be Meghan and Harry's final engagement before they quit the Royal Family on March 31.

It's also the first time the couple have been seen publicly with other members of the family, including Kate and William, since they announced their decision to step down.

They will move to Canada to start new lives with their son Archie, saying they plan to become financially independent.

Their decision is said to have caused a lot of anger and upset behind Palace walls, and they reportedly didn't consult their relatives.

Announcing the news on their Instagram page in January, they said they want to "carve out a progressive new role within this institution".

They also plan to become financially independent, however have since sparked fury by insisting the taxpayer should fund their security “based on the Duke’s public profile by virtue of being born a royal, his military service, the Duchess’s independent profile”.

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