Monarchies, especially those that are aware of being heirs to a historical legacy connecting past, present, and future of the nations they embody, rely on the rhythmic repetition of certain traditions to project an image of stability and that, fundamentally, despite any environmental upheaval, everything remains the same for the institution. However, things have indeed changed in the British Monarchy in the year between the 2025 Easter Mass and this year's.
The anticipation was high to see which members of the Windsor family would attend, following the unchanging tradition, the religious service on Easter Sunday at the St. George's Chapel in Windsor. As expected, after Carlos III and Camilla, the most anticipated members, Prince William and Catherine, along with their three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, were part of the royal entourage. This Mass, which marks the end of Holy Week, is the first one with one less member in the dynasty. And not just any member. It is the first one held without Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the king's brother, stripped of his princely dignity and under police investigation for his ties to the Epstein case.
Andrew was arrested for a few hours last February, on his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following accusations of sharing confidential information with Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy.
The big surprise at last year's Easter Mass was precisely the presence, alongside the rest of the royal family, of what was still His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew. He could be seen in the temple located within the Windsor Castle grounds, smiling and supported by his family at the annual Easter Sunday Matins service. Not only did he attend, despite being out of the institutional agenda of the dynasty for many years, he continued to participate in family events, such as this Mass. Also present were his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and their daughters, Princess Beatrice - with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi - and Princess Eugenie - accompanied by her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
However, the notable absentees in 2025 from this special event were the Prince of Wales, William, and Catherine. There was much speculation at the time about the reasons for their absence. Ultimately, the prevailing narrative is that by then, the Heir to the Throne found it very uncomfortable to appear at public events where he would be photographed alongside his controversial uncle, Andrew. The Heirs also did not attend the religious service in 2024, but then the reasons were more than justified, as Princess Catherine was recovering from her cancer treatment.
The Wales were closely followed by the king's other two siblings, Prince Edward and Anne. The entire family, as is also tradition, was warmly welcomed by hundreds of onlookers gathered around the temple.
With the Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson completely out of the picture, Buckingham hastened to announce days ago that this Sunday, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie would not be attending Easter Mass, in a very delicate position following their father's fall from grace, but also due to the details that are gradually emerging, implicating them as beneficiaries of the deep friendship their parents maintained with the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The public presence of the two princesses in recent weeks has been virtually non-existent. It is believed that, much to their regret, both Carlos III and William - the latter always very close to his two cousins - have come to the conclusion that it is also inevitable to establish a sanitary cordon to keep Andrés' daughters away from the core of the Royal Family.
Nothing is left to chance in the British royal family. Hence, it has been so significant that, to cover the absences, the Prince of Wales and his wife have become the protagonists of this Easter Sunday by attending St. George's, supporting Carlos and Camilla, but above all conveying the necessary image of the Crown's resilience and capturing all the spotlight of the day. After all, the popularity of William and Catherine remains high, as if they were the only members of the royal family unscathed by scandals. Around 70% of Britons have a favorable opinion of the sovereign's eldest son and his wife, according to recent polls. Today, they are not only the mainstay of the institution but, according to many experts, the solution to revitalize the Throne, as voices grow louder for Carlos III to delegate more responsibilities to his successor - some even openly talk about abdication, although this is a taboo in the British Monarchy.
The great surprise in this Sunday's royal entourage was the presence of Harriet Sperling - with her daughter George - in what was her official presentation. She is the fiancée of Peter Phillips, 48, son of Princess Anne. The couple announced a few days ago that their wedding will take place on June 6. As a sign that Harriet is already part of the royal family, the kings have allowed her to celebrate Easter with her daughter, Georgina Sperling, from her marriage to Antonio St John Sperling.
Remember that Peter Phillips, the eldest grandson of the unforgettable Queen Elizabeth II - this April marks the centenary of her birth - married Canadian Autumn Kelly in 2008. Peter and Autumn had two daughters, Savannah (2010) and Isla (2012). Savannah and Isla are the first two great-granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth II. They are three and one year older than Prince George, respectively. After announcing their separation in February 2020, Peter and Autumn's divorce was finalized in June 2021.
The Easter religious service comes days after Buckingham announced that King Carlos III's State Visit to the United States will take place between April 27 and 30, despite tensions between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the Iran war.