by Mick the Ram

After being forced to step away from a key event on the royal family’s calendar last year through ill-health, both King Charles III and the Princess of Wales will make a welcome return to the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey in London, on Monday, 10 March.

Buckingham Palace confirmed that His Majesty the King and his daughter-in-law Kate will attendthe occasion which is observed by millions across the Commonwealth, in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Pacific and Europe.

The two royals each had their own personal cancer diagnosis around this time in 2024, forcing them to reluctantly miss out. This time around they will be joined by Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, to celebrate the 56 nations of the Commonwealth.

At the event the King is expected to officially start the countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow; plus on a more personal note, he will introduce a music project to celebrate sounds from across the Commonwealth, with a playlist of his favourite tracks which he will explain “lifts his spirits and brings back important memories”.

The theme of Commonwealth Day 2025 is to be: “Together We Thrive” as up to 2,000 guests come together to commemorate “the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family”.

56 member states

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.7 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries; indeed 33 of the members are small states, including many island nations.

These countries come from all corners of the globe with 21 located in Africa, 13 in the Caribbean and Americas, 11 in the Pacific, 8 in Asia and 3 in Europe.

The tiny Pacific nation of Nauru is the smallest Commonwealth member with a population of around 10,000 citizens; whilst at the other end of the scale India is comfortably the most populous with more than 1.4 billion people living amongst its vastness.

Pre-recorded last year

King Charles III, in his role as Head of the Commonwealth – just as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II did before him – gives an annual address each year to the family of 56 nations, but last year pre-recorded a video message after postponing his public-facing duties for around three months.

This of course followed him starting treatment for his cancer diagnosis which was announced a month before. On that occasion the monarch sent his address in his absence in which he pledged to serve to “the best of my ability,” a promise which nobody could ever call into question.

Kate on the mend

The 43-year-old princess was recuperating from a “planned abdominal procedure” for last year’s event and as a consequence, her non-appearance was not unexpected.

However, just days later Kate shared with the world, the news that she was undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer and she proceeded to step out of the public limelight for several months in order to focus on her health and recovery.

To everyone’s relief at the start of the year she was able to give the great news that she had completed her treatment and was in remission. Nevertheless, she continues to take things steady, but her appearance at the celebrations for Commonwealth Day is sure to be greeted with much joy.

Secretariat’s anniversary

The Commonwealth Charter spells out its values and principles and this is the background for the theme of this year’s celebrations: “Together We Thrive”.

The root of the principles looks towards unity, family, democracy and peace, highlighting the importance of fostering “strong and connected communities that support and empower their members, enabling meaningful progress.”

This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the executive arm of the association, which as a “family” acts as a voice for small and vulnerable states, champions young people, promotes justice and human rights, address global threats, and essentially helps solve national problems.

Celebrations across the Commonwealth

On the day itself, as well as the vibrant multi-faith service at Westminster Abbey, there will be a reception held in London welcoming representatives from across the member states.

Around the nations, there will be civic and faith gatherings, school assemblies, debates, flag-raising ceremonies and numerous cultural celebrations.

Launching the Games

King Charles will launch the Commonwealth Sport King’s Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace as part of the official countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Additionally, he is known to be sharing his musical favourites, which are believed to include the likes of Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue and Grace Jones, as part of a project created in partnership with Apple Music.

King’s musical message

A video trailer shows the band for the changing of the guard outside the palace playing Bob Marley’s Could You Be Loved, and it is understood the King will share anecdotes about some of the artists and reveals why the songs help form the soundtrack to his life.

“Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me, and I know that is also the case for so many others.

“It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory, to comfort us in times of sadness, and to take us to distant places; but perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration – in other words, it brings us joy”