English rose! Sophie Wessex is the picture of elegance in soft pink and she arrives for Service of Thanksgiving for her mother-in-law the Queen
- Sophie Wessex, 57, smiled as she arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral with husband Prince Edward, 58
- They were also joined by their children Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James, Viscount Severn, 14
- Sported a sparkly dress made by brand Suzannah for the event giving thanks for Queen’s reign
- Complemented her look with a pale pink hat, keeping her makeup minimal and slicking hair into chic bun
Sophie Wessex looked glamourous as she joined other royals at the Service of Thanksgiving on the second day of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The 57-year-old smiled as she arrived for the Service at St Paul’s Cathedral with husband Prince Edward, 58, and their children Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James, Viscount Severn, 14.
Sophie sported a sparkly dress by brand Suzannah for the event giving thanks for her mother-in-law the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
Sophie Wessex and her family arrived for the event at St Paul’s Cathedral today. Her daughter Lady Louise Windsor, 18, greeted another participant in the event as her mother and father Prince Edward, 58, and brother James, Viscount Severn, 14, watched on
The Earl and Countess of Wessex grinned as they sat in St Paul’s Cathedral with their children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn for the Service of Thanksgiving marking the Queen’s 70 years on the throne
Sophie sported a sparkly dress for the event and the royal complemented her look with a pale pink hat, keeping her makeup minimal
She wore her blonde locks slicked back in a chic bun with elegant dangling earrings framing her face. She arrived for the Service at St Paul’s Cathedral with her family
The royal complemented her look with a pale pink hat, keeping her makeup minimal.
She wore her blonde locks slicked back in a chic bun with elegant dangling earrings framing her face.
The Queen will not attend today, with Prince Charles officially representing her after she was forced to pull out.
She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday – and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen ‘greatly enjoyed’ her birthday parade and flypast but ‘did experience some discomfort’.
The Wessex’s arrived at the cathedral ahead of today’s Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s 70 years on the throne. The family smiled as they waited to enter the event
The family were seen in a car as they made their way to the Service of Thanksgiving on the second day of the historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the Queen
It said: ‘Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.’
The decision ahead of the service was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.
Both Prince Andrew and The Archbishop of Canterbury have tested positive for coronavirus and are also not attending, with The Archbishop of York giving a sermon instead.
Senior royals including the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join the Wessex’s at the service, with Harry and Meghan making their first appearance with the family since the Westminster Abbey Commonwealth Service in March 2020.
Members of the Cabinet, former prime ministers and first ministers of the devolved administrations are also guests at today’s service. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader and former prime minister David Cameron were pictured as they arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral ahead of the service
Members of the Cabinet are also attending today’s proceedings, with Boris Johnson reading from the Bible.
Additionally, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will be at the Service, alongside first ministers of the devolved administrations and former prime ministers.
Meanwhile key workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces have been invited to the Service of Thanksgiving in recognition of their contribution to public life.
More than 400 people, who have been making a difference either nationally or locally, are among the guests and many have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and wife Carrie were pictured as they arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral. Home Secretary also arrived at the event and wore a pink ensemble for the occasion
People are seen taking their seats in St Paul’s Cathedral ahead of today’s event. Before the service starts, the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band) played for guests
Before the service began, the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band), played as the congregation arrived and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry performed to mark royal arrivals, while the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force will accompany later in the service.
The choirs of St Paul’s Cathedral and Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal will join together to sing the Vivats, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry, performed at every coronation and now for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Before the Service of Thanksgiving, the Great Paul, the largest church bell in the country, was rung between 10.50 and 10.55.
Former prime ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair were pictured chatting and smiling before the Service of Thanksgiving began at St Paul’s Cathedral
The historic bell was made in 1882, but fell silent in the 1970s due to a broken mechanism and was then restored in 2021.
Since, the bell has rang out eight times but today’s event was the first royal occasion where it was rung before the Service begins at 11.30am.
Royal family members are to arrive at the foot of the West Steps at 10.55am and then at 11.25, just before the service begins, there will be a procession.
This procession will feature the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales and the royals in attendance will take their seats under the Dome before the ceremony gets underway.
David Cameron and wife Samantha were seen waiting for the Service of Thanksgiving to start as they stood in St Paul’s Cathedral with other dignitaries ahead of the service
There is also to be a prayer called The Bidding during the Service, where the Dean of St Paul’s will offer ‘thanks and ‘thanks and praise for the reign of Her Majesty the Queen and especially for her 70 years of faithful and dedicated service’.
The event will feature a new anthem by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music, that sets to music words of the third Chapter of the Book of Proverbs.
Bible readings, hymns and prayers to express thankfulness for the Queen’s reign, faith and service will also be heard by the congregation as the nation marks the monarch’s 70 years on the throne and the ceremony will end with the singing of the national anthem.
St Paul’s Cathedral is also playing host to more than 400 members of the public who have made significant contributions to during the pandemic both nationally and locally
Today’s Service of Thanksgiving comes after Sophie Wessex yesterday joined other members of the Royal Family at Trooping the Colour, for the first day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Donning a custom made gingham coat dress by Suzannah in certified sustainable cloth, and a matching hat, the Countess looked delighted to be marking the monarch’s milestone 70 years on the throne, riding in a carriage alongside her husband and their two children as they waved at cheering crowds.
The Wessex carriage was the second of three that left the forecourt of Buckingham Palace carrying members of the Royal Family down The Mall yesterday morning, with the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, riding alongside Kate Middleton, 40, and her children in the first carriage.
The Countess of Wessex is attending today’s service after sporting a custom made gingham coat dress made by Suzannah to wave at crowds from a carriage during yesterday’s Trooping the Colour Platinum Jubilee celebrations with husband Prince Edward and children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn
The Wessex carriage was the second of three that left the forecourt of Buckingham Palace carrying members of the Royal Family down The Mall yesterday morning
Kate and Camilla were in the first carriage as they arrived at the Trooping the Colour celebrations yesterday, with the Duchess of Cambridge’s children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis sitting opposite them waving at the happy crowds
Louis sat between his older siblings George and Charlotte in a carriage, with Kate and Camilla sat opposite. The children, who were dressed in a light blue, navy and white colour scheme, waved to the crowds – and at one point Charlotte appeared to push Louis’s hand down, while the Princess squinted in the sunshine as the carriage left.
The third carriage was ridden by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, while Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne rode on horses during the traditional carriage procession.
Meanwhile, the Queen left Windsor Castle yesterday morning, travelling by car as she headed to Buckingham Palace.
The Cambridge children sat and watched proceedings unfold as they travelled in a carriage down the Mall during yesterday’s journey to the Trooping the Colour celebrations
Prince Harry was seen jokingly shh’ing Lena Tindall as she watched the Trooping the Colour parade with her sisters Savannah and Mia and cousin Isla Philips
It comes as Prince Harry and Meghan joined senior royals at an official engagement for the first time in more than two years.
The Queen’s Birthday Parade at Horse Guards in London was the first official Platinum Jubilee event of the bank holiday weekend, and she appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the RAF flypast at 1pm yesterday.
Thousands of people draped in Union Jack flags, party hats and plastic tiaras lined The Mall in the warm sunshine yesterday. Some of those at the front brought camping chairs, having arrived over the past few days to get the best spot, and spirits were high as members of the public chatted and joked with police maintaining the perimeter.
Huge crowds walked down the Mall during Trooping the Colour parade, hoping to catch a glimpse of the RAF flypast at 1pm as the royals stood on the balcony
However, police then swooped on four intruders tried to smash through security on The Mall. Two of the protesters – who were from Animal Rebellion – were able to sit in the middle of the road as the marching band approached. Officers hauled them out of the way as the musicians walked by them, avoiding them completely.
According to Animal Rebellion, the activists were protesting against the use of crown lands for hunting, as well as the ‘crown’s inaction on the climate emergency and their continued support for meat, fishing, and dairy’.
The Irish Guards were among the first to arrive at a march at Horse Guards Parade yesterday morning in front of the sitting crowds in the bright sunshine, led by their mascot, an Irish Wolfhound called Seamus. And as huge crowds descended on the capital to witness the historic weekend, police and park authorities said the areas were full.
The Queen and other members of the Royal Family watch the RAF flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony after the Trooping the Colour parade yesterday
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