A Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day LIVE 🔴 - BBC

so the first of the Royal arrivals the Earl and Countess of Wessex Ella Wessex Vice patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation made the closing speech at the 2018 Commonwealth Games opened the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand in the 1998 games in Malaysia and as we were hearing the Countess of Wessex very interested in various Commonwealth causes including ending avoidable blindness which recently visited Malawi I was seeing the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust trachoma initiative in Malawi he's literally just returned actually from a trip to South Sudan over the weekend where she marked International Women's Day and did you say avoidable blindness very much key part of her work here and the next car and you can hear I think see the people lined up to greet the next royal party to arrive this is His Highness Duke of Sussex and her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex [Music] you chairs the Duchesse sir is wearing a Amelia Wixted dress and a hat by William chambers and of course for them this is the last time they'll be walking into the happiness this way no surprise we're seeing that the battery of of newspaper photographers lights flashing the last time whether the in Sussex is will appear in public before standing back as senior members of the royal family talking there to the Dean of the Abbey and smiles as they're brought in to meet the receiving line the Dean the very Reverend dr. David Hoyle installed as the 39th Dean of Westminster in November 2019 they're introduced first of all to the venerable David Stanton sub-dean and canon treasurer evidently ball cannon Stewart and almoner Allen theologian the Reverend dr. James hawky all bauman receiver general in Chapter Clark it's grace that you could per clue and the Prime Minister Boris Johnson it's Patricia Scotland Secretary General of the Commonwealth Scotland it's clear the message has gone out that there are to be no handshakes further than Richard Mao Winnie and the right honorable Lord howl of Guildford chair of the Council of the Commonwealth society the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving [Music] it's royal gathering to honor Commonwealth day this is almost something from the Queen isn't it I expect my family to support the Commonwealth as I have throughout my life well indeed bear out all members of the family are raised on on the stories of the Commonwealth the Queen became Queen motives at the heart of the Commonwealth in Kenya they've all the very first we see that you can touch the Cambridge their their very first overseas tutor together was to a Commonwealth country to Canada and it's it just forms part of royal life and you may go on certain tours to different countries but in between tour around Europe or on the UK that always be a calm off tour as well sometimes it's about grand celebration sometimes it might be tied in with trade sometimes it's simply about solidarity isn't it as we saw in April of last year when the Duke of Cambridge visited New Zealand in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shooting very much as we saw in the film earlier he he went straight out there after that followed on from after the the earthquake in Christchurch in 2011 he went out there straight after that as well where we see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex being led to their seats lassoo to the Commonwealth country that he enjoys a particularly close relationship with having yes founded his charities sent table with princess of Lesotho to work with children and young people affected with HIV in both the suto and Botswana it's it was one of Prince Harry's first creations as the charitable creations was sent to Bali as he say in the SU two he goes that regularly it's very close to his heart he's still very active fundraiser for it and it's it's yet another example of the way in which the royal family so many levels are connected with the Commonwealth and here of difference of Wales and the Duchess of Cambridge taking their offense no offense well visited 45 out of 54 countries of the Commonwealth and we've already seen a bit of it this afternoon when you watch those pictures of the prince on duty in the car well it does seem to be a sheer a sheer pleasure in the encounters he has like his mother it is something he has become passionate about yes I think he what's made a wonderful speech in 2013 he reflected on his life with Commonwealth leaders and how was a boy he'd grown up with these Commonwealth leaders coming to stay how as a student he'd been waterskiing with the Prime Minister of Malta and all these these stories getting back to the early years of his life look look closely and you can see the Prince of Wales is declining to shake hands this afternoon but is is doing the traditional namaste I wondered if we might see the the Prime Minister do a sort of a shoulder shoulder to people but prince has decided to - namaste people oh really a handshake there from the Prime Minister he's having to hold himself back yes namaste very good your own to account the fears of corona virus of course greeting Baroness Scotland the Commonwealth secretary-general Lord Harrell of Guilford chair of the Commonwealth Society and dr. Linda you there whose chief executive of the Royal Commonwealth Society so we have now the royal family except Her Majesty the Queen whose car we are expecting to arrive any moment as soon as she arrives in front of the Abbey her arrival will be serenaded by a fanfare from the state trumpeters at the household cavalry up in the Abbott's pew above the Great West door Duchess of Cambridge making their way through the choir and towards the high altar where their seats are their trip to Pakistan in October this year really a very important Commonwealth trip a great sign of a return to some normality in Pakistan yes Pakistan over the years twice being suspended from the Kumar's once actually withdrew all together back in the 70s but now very much back at the heart of things and that visit by the Duke and Duchess a very significant one very warmly welcomed by them and now they take their seats so we await the arrival of the Queen it swells over his shoulder to see if he can see her car arriving the Prince of Wales undertook her an autumn tour to India New Zealand and the Solomon Islands what was his 10th official visit to India attended a service at the Delhi War Memorial where he met with gardeners from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who tend to the cemetery and the Commonwealth War Graves really a very important part of what the Commonwealth do maintaining these graveyards across the continents immaculately one of the oldest Commonwealth organisations graves Commission I've million men and women from the country the Commonwealth saw wartime service during the Second World War six million soldiers from across the Commonwealth for what became the Commonwealth mobilized for World War one 1.1 million British Commonwealth servicemen killed wherever you see those Commonwealth graves they are immaculate perfectly mowed lawns well tended memorials gravestones kept immaculately clean shrubs on the graves reflecting the part of the world where the graveyards are I've been to several of the ones where soldiers who fought in the Burma railway are buried and it is always a deeply moving experience wherever you go in the world it is and it's another reminder of why today matters it's those shared bonds not just of language and lore and culture but also shared sacrifice and the outriders here here is the car bearing Her Majesty the Queen cheers from the crowds in front of Westminster Abbey and will stand by for that fanfare from the state trumpeters of the household cavalry to mark her arriving here at this Commonwealth day of celebration [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] a Majesty the Queen Manik head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland but Queen - in 15 Commonwealth realms queen of Australia New Zealand Canada Jamaica Antigua and Barbuda believes petha new guineas and Christopher s and Kitts and Nevis and Vincent on the Grenadines Tuvalu Barbados Grenada Solomon Solomon Islands st. Lucia and the Bahamas queen of the world in some ways Robert certainly feels like that on a day like today Petrov the Queen is wearing a Stuart Parvin coat as described as air force blue cashmere coat with black and burnt orange this is an event that she knows better than anyone she's never missed one she's attended more of these than anybody else the Prime Minister bowing there and Dean taking it down the line she knows most of these people already she'll know the hymns she'll know the the running order she's just saying hello there's a Lord Hal Guildford chairman and president Lee roll Commonwealth Society for her this is a meeting she's often described the Commonwealth as her family of Nations and as she turns to see Prince of Wales she's with her family she stands now by the memorial to Winston Churchill as we prepare for the start of this Commonwealth Day service [Music] [Music] for Jacobs arrangement of the national anthem from the fanfare team from the band of the Grenadier Guards as the choristers of Westminster Abbey process forward to be followed by the Royal party the opening hymn praise to the Lord the Almighty the king of creation [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] on behalf of the Dean and chapter I welcome you warmly to Westminster Abbey for our annual celebration of the Commonwealth we gather in this House of Prayer to celebrate our common life as God's people and to celebrate as a Commonwealth of Nations today we look for the words to express a hope we can share the common future in which we all might flourish so we pray for God's guidance we seek the gifts of an imagination that can hope abundantly and a courage to seize that hope confident in the richness and range of our Commonwealth we are one people with one hope under God let us pray in the words our Savior gave us our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever amen we go to the great west door for gun and drummers one drum performing music from Rwanda in tour a [Applause] [Music] [Music] on x2 scientists corner in front of the memorial to Sir Isaac Newton Alexandra Burke sings ain't no mountain high enough this ain't no mountain in a valley if you need me come no man [Music] you don't have to worry to keep me from getting there you'll babe remember the day I set you free I told you you can always count on me darling [Music] cuz baby [Music] to keep me from getting a you babe no no no one Telstar can't stop me baby if you're ever in trouble I'll be there on the double just send for me my love is a laugh even when we're apart don't matter how far we are if you ever need as fast as I can baby [Music] next a reflection for British world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua my name is Anthony Alou fme eyelash any Joshua and like many of you here I'm a child of the Commonwealth I was born in Watford and my heritage is Nigeria I come from the Yoruba people who are the largest and some might say the loudest ethnic group in all of Africa I am proudly Nigerian and I'm proudly British and I drain a long line perhaps too long to count of UK citizens of Commonwealth origin who've made enormous contributions to this great multicultural society of ours in my world that would include names such as Joshua Watts e-learn Sokoli and Ramla Ali but there are so many more members of the Commonwealth family including david adjey one of uk's greatest architects the MFE dons arguably britain's brainiest family and of course the countless nurses teachers and doctors that made the UK their home strengthening the very fabric of our society and our economy we must never forget either our Commonwealth cousins who stood shoulder to shoulder in battle not to mention the amazing impact that all of these people hailing from the farthest reaches of the globe have had a lot culture sense of national identity my own eyes were open to this amazing family for the first time when I traveled to Nigeria as a child whilst I saw some similarities between our two countries given our shared heritage as nations there was a wealth of difference and a world of exciting possibilities that realization has stayed with me all my life like me so many children of the Commonwealth have two homes two identities two cultures and two ways of viewing the some even have more than two these days we hear so much about division and difference that some might be tempted to see it as a bad thing or on the contrary it's a beautiful thing a thing to be celebrated and cherished and a great source of peace and stability in this world of extreme connectivity who better to connect us and shape our common future than the children of the Commonwealth who have a foot in two camps and desperately want to see both sides succeed there are times when it's important to talk about values our personal values and those that bind us together as a site as a society and this is one of those times fairness determination tolerance respect understanding I like many of those values in the ring but I apply them to my everyday life our values define us and how we conduct ourselves there are what put their what we put out in the universe and what we shall receive in return respect for the dignity of our Commonwealth cousins and for all human beings is critical to bring in our society and communities together and making them prosperous I feel opportunity should be there for the taking along with hard work dedication and perseverance regardless of one's background we need to strive harder collectively in order to create unity it takes a village to raise a child and in the same vein it takes a whole community to act to stand together to tackle some of the challenges we are confronted with today with unity and a shared vision we could help to improve the lives and prospects of our Commonwealth family and mutually benefit in the process people like myself as well as some of the other stellar names I've already mentioned will be perfectly placed to assist with the re-engagement with the Commonwealth and act as ambassadors for the two cultures and countries we represent it will enable enormous potential of the Commonwealth 1.4 billion young people to transform our world for the better in the same way boxing gave me the opportunity and framework to become Olympic champion Commonwealth champion and now it's a heavyweight champion of the world but I ask myself what does the Commonwealth really mean the second part of that word is key for me a United common future could create opportunities for our Commonwealth cousins whether they're growing up in Nigeria Australia Bangladesh or Jamaica or right here in Britain so here's two fish and chips and a Gucci suit and pounded Jam to the UK and Nigeria and so the children of the Commonwealth thank you very much for listening and now James O'Donnell organist and master of the choristers directs britain anthem will be joyful in the Lord all ye lands [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the Prime Minister wanting to justify himself the lawyer asked Jesus and who is my neighbor jesus replied a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers who stripped him beat him and went away leaving him half dead now by chance a priest was going down that road and when he saw him he passed by on the other side so likewise a Levite when he came to the place and saw him passed by on the other side but a Samaritan while traveling came near him and when he saw him he was moved with pity he went to him and bandaged his wounds having poured oil and wine on them then he put him on his own animal brought him to an inn and took care of him the next day he took out two denarii he gave them to the innkeeper and said take care of him and when I come back I will repay you what ever more you spend which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers he said the one who showed him mercy jesus said to him go and do likewise Boris Johnson reading the parable of the Good Samaritan next the rates well shame June Centennial Mortal invisible God only wise [Music] extra perk YouTube star suley brakes hello my name is su Lee brakes and I just wanted to say it's a pleasure to be in the presence hello my name is su Lee brakes I just want to say it's a pleasure to be in the presence of so many esteemed individuals who were United irrespective of culture race or background by a common theme and a common idea and I think that I dare correct me if I'm wrong is that we can all collectively make the world a better place and I think really that's all it takes ideas and creativity because those are what send footballs spinning into the back of nets they send men to the moon and women as well and they leave the world at our fingertips so I just wanted to share a short piece short so you can get on to the more exciting forms of entertainment about the power of ideas chapter one it starts with an idea a boy or girl in a bedroom with nothing but a pen and a laptop chapter two that pen has scribbled across that page numerous times and that laptop has spent hours illuminated in front of tired eyes in cans of energy drink and that idea has become a passion / obsession chapter 3 that idea turned passion / obsession has found its way into the inbox of like-minded individuals friends and fire Emily signed off with the words honestly tell me what you think you fainted this will bang chapter 5 that idea turned passion turn confirmation from friends and family that is indeed a good idea and it will actually bang has become a project let's get to chapter 5 that project has become viable that project has become a reality that projects that idea has become the potential to change the world because as logical people we sometimes become stuck in our ways reluctant to change function the same when there's nothing to gain forgetting that all skyscrapers were once just slabs of stone Google was once just a scrap of codes but in this story there's no guarantee that we'll live happily ever after or ride off into the sunset we don't even know for be able to afford next month's rent but let's pick back to chapter 1 that idea could have been the light bulb that boy could have been Nikola Tesla that idea could have been freedom that girl could have been Nina Simone cuz all it ever takes is an idea and a lot of effort wherever it happens in a meeting boardroom or campus dorm room it's only ever taken one idea to make a difference it's only ever taken one idea to change the world thank you guys very much and next the faith's leaders first we're going to hear from archbishop Nikita's representing the greek orthodox church [Applause] direct our steps to fulfill your commandments transform our hearts so that we may experience the peace love and unity that only comes from you break the barriers of hatred and injustice which shatter our society grant us faith and love as we sojourn toward a better future together an ex Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra representing the Muslim community Lord you are peace and from you is peace you created us from a single pair and made us into different people so that we may know one another God enable us to respect this diversity join together our hearts free us from hunger disease hate and Prejudice through your grace and your mercy answer our prayer next the venerable Bogota Siloam allah representing the buddhist community maybe all in style towards overcoming the unwholesome state of mind it has already Addison Mabel is tired words preventing the unwholesome state of mind which has knotted Arison maybe all style towards producing a peaceful state of mind which we have not yet experienced maybe old style towards continuing the peace of mind which we have already experienced the final prayer from rabbi Johnny Rich representing liberal Judaism long ago the rabbi's wrote a single human family was made at creation for the sake of peace so we cannot say one to another my ancestor was greater than your ancestor the Commonwealth reflects this in its celebration of a single diverse family under the sovereignty of God and let us pray that our Creator might imbue us with the ability to see each other through God's eyes as equals and now James O'Donnell conducts the Westminster Abbey choir in the anthem angel voices ever singing music by Bob Joe words by Francis Pot [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] now the cosmati pavement was laid in 1268 on the orders of Henry the 3rd it is one of the crowning jewels of Westminster Abbey and this afternoon it becomes a stage for Craig David who's going to sing unbelievable [Music] always said I would know where to find love always thought I'd be ready and strong and now somehow I just felt I could give her [Music] and you came and you change my whole world now I'm somewhere I never thought I'd be yeah see means it's unbelievable and I don't let it go [Music] Sun is so beautiful flowing [Music] feel like you've always been forever a part of me and it's unbelievable to finally be somewhere I'd ever thought I'd be in my head in my heart it's so clear now hold my hand you've got nothing to fear now I was lost and you're asking me some [Music] I'm in love I'm in love you complete me I'm somewhere I never thought I'd be now [Music] believable and I don't let it go Sun is so beautiful flowing down [Music] forever part of me and it's unbelievable to finally be somewhere I never thought I'd be [Music] when I think I heard and it's chance I need know I can help break down [Music] [Music] it's unbelievable and I don't let it go sign is so beautiful Flo in town you've always been forever part of me and it's unbelievable [Music] somewhere I never thought I'd be now [Music] [Music] to the great west door of the abbey next where we find the melodeon Steel Orchestra with especially created Commonwealth melody [Music] [Music] next Baroness Scotland Secretary General of the Commonwealth at the great topics let us now stand to pledge ourselves afresh to uphold and serve the values and fellowship of the Commonwealth we affirm that every person possesses unique Worth and dignity we affirm our respect for nature and that we will be stewards of the earth by caring for every part of it and for it as a whole we affirm our belief in justice for everyone and peace among peoples and nations joining together in kinship and affinity in diversity and unity as members of a worldwide family of Nations we build on shared inheritances we cooperate with mutual respect and goodwill to deliver a common future for the good of all through Commonwealth Connection we learn from one another and innovate to transform our communities our nations and our world we but affirm our belief in the Commonwealth as a powerful influence for good and pledge ourselves to its service now and for the future the final hymn in this Commonwealth day service Charles Wesley's great love divine all loves excelling [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] God grants to the living grace to the departed rest to the church the Queen the Commonwealth and all people peace and Concord and to our sinners life everlasting and the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always the new dean of Westminster the very Reverend dr. David Hoyle giving the blessing which marks the end of today's service of celebration for the Commonwealth Dean appointed 39th Dean of Westminster in November last year prior to that he was Dean of Bristol today overseeing his first major state event one of a regular calendar of great events that take place here at Westminster Abbey a royal peculiar under the direct control of the Queen the Dean responsible to the sovereign alone Wow and clergy progressed s-- out towards the west door 30 boys in the choir all of whom attend the ambient residential choir school 12 professional adult singers their main focus to sing the daily choral services in the Abbey a tradition which stretches back more than 600 years James O'Donnell organist and master of the choristers listening now to sub organist Peter holder the Commonwealth Mase Darien Marine from Trinidad and Tobago holding the mace is the current chair of the youth-led international task force for the Commonwealth Youth Forum to be held in Rwanda and in front of him the Commonwealth flag Ellucian I had a edgy from Nigeria carrying that Commonwealth flag Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as we've heard this afternoon this the last time they will appear in public before stepping back as senior members at the royal family Allen Countess of Wessex spring and the back of the royal party the clergy there the mace mace a gift of the royal anniversary trust to the Queen and her role as head of the Commonwealth for the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne [Music] it's made of gold and silver covered in little studs with the flags of each country of the Commonwealth 53 countries I think represented on the mace now 54 Commonwealth members after the reintroduction of the Maldives to the Commonwealth Valley just over a month ago [Music] while Robert Hartman has been with me this afternoon here in Westminster Abbey so many things to reflect on from watching this service first of all as we look at the all the main players in the royal family led by Her Majesty the Queen and all of them playing some role in the Commonwealth all I threw say Petro all have a long lifelong connection with this organization but none more so than the Queen herself she gets to thank the clergy for their role in a service that as we discussed earlier she very much helped to create herself reverend christopher adults their minor cannon a presenter leaving westminster abbey but he's been very much involved on a day-to-day basis in organising this service reverend mark birch mana cannon and Sechrist and the reverend jennifer peterson and chaplain here at Westminster Abbey and the dean the new dean is is going to have to get used to major events like this here in this Abbey Church this royal peculiar this National Church yes as dean you really do find yourself at the heart of the other national story the other can president of the royal commonwealth society i mean this this is somewhere that this is rather quite aside from from coronations the monarch is so often here for services and national Thanksgiving we've got VE Day coming up in May the Queen Pacific marking that here we see coming up behind all the other members the royal family the Prince of Wales there and namaste as he says avoiding a handshake he's of course next week he'll be off to the Commonwealth himself he's paying a visit to Cyprus last year he visited 20 Commonwealth countries and one year alone there'll be more of the same this year just behind him the Duchess of Cornwall of course who presides over the Commonwealth essay prize the oldest writing competition in the world so all these threads coming together in front of our eyes we just saw there the Queen greeting Alexandra Burke who entertained us this afternoon Craig David and tearing at the end of the line championship boxer Anthony Joshua who I think spoke so interestingly about the Commonwealth and about his role as someone who has a foot in two camps both British and Nigerian and how that is an experience for so many people within this Commonwealth of Nations I thought it was a wonderful speech as he said earlier he was a bit nervous about it but I think he just captured the essence of the Commonwealth they don't where two ways of seeing life I think that's so important Queen clearly delighted to meet him she comes out through the Great West door onto the steps outside the Abbey thousands of people watching you can't see them they're behind barriers on the other side of the road but many people turning out to support this event as she's presented by posies we hear the bells of Westminster Abbey ring and I think his second Robert just to reflect on how important the Commonwealth has been to the Queen throughout her reign there have been plenty of an occasion when she's sided with the Commonwealth over the advice of her own British government Minister exactly she's she's that she's nursed it really through its infancy when she came to the throne there were just eight members of the Commonwealth today 54 and the Bamby many bumps along the road and there have been moments where the organisation has found itself at odds sometimes with splitting in half sometimes just trying to find its feet and the Queen's always been there in the early days of of more breh house being the seat of the secretary general it was the the Queen you handed over one of the family homes to this organization it remains at the heart of royal life and there is no doubt that the Commonwealth benefits enormously from the Stardust that Her Majesty the Queen and other members of the royal family sprinkle upon it it might not even exist if it wasn't for this direct royal support it has been said in in recent years as the coal moth has receded it was it was we have to accept it's not the power at once wards but it is having members the royal family like that Cambridgeshire and the Duchess it's having that royal Stardust as you say patrol that just gives it that little bit it's a unique organization and in a world of of so many organized multinational organizations whether it's the g7 or the EU or a tech or OPEC or whatever you want the Commonwealth has does have something unique about it we get a flavor today it operates in a unique space and it does have at the heart of it the Queen there the the head of the Commonwealth who has known all its leaders hundreds of leaders now over nearly 70 years as head Prince Charles behind the Queen who will take over as head of the Commonwealth and clearly shares many of the views and concerns that Commonwealth countries face every day many issues particularly around the environment are very dear to him and are a matter of life and death that some Commonwealth nations they are and over the years the Commonwealth has found itself at loggerheads over lots of issues it could flow it can argue over the tiniest things but it was absolutely unanimous from 2018 that the Prince of Wales would be the next head of the Commonwealth it's not automatic it's not a hereditary title but they wanted him and they know all these nations know how clear how close the environment is to his heart Queen gets into her car to return to Buckingham Palace other members of the royal family all evening go to a reception to celebrate the work of the Commonwealth as the Duke of Cambridge in conversation with Anthony Joshua you can see during intended Joshua's speech a reflection of of what he was saying amongst the younger members of the royal family and the duke and duchess of sussex now are we ever going to see them again in a situation quite like this Robert we've talked a lot this afternoon about how this is their last public engagement before they they step down step back as senior members of the royal family and how are we going to see them next well it's certainly the longest time for a considerable time I expect that we'll see them at this sort of event where the protocol is running everything there we see that the Queen has to leave first and the Prince of Wales visa first as a pecking order for everything you literally fall into line now that's the world they're moving away from they're not leaving the royal family then certainly not leaving the Commonwealth fair Prince Harry he's going to be talking to lots of the people here in the Abbey today just in a different guise in future it's not going to be as his royal highness it's not going to be at these state occasions no fist-pumping they're great David yes certainly he's got one step step beyond the the official guidance sir but then that's that's Prince Harry and and it is of course a sad moment I think there were moments during that service where you could see he was looking pensive he was looking studious this is all he's known this is a world that he's been raised on and it is going to be a shift when at the end of the month they move into this different phase of their life they must have been in some ways an anxious day as we said right at the beginning the first time that the the whole royal family have been together since the announcement about the princes change of situation was made to be there with with your siblings with your father and with your grandmother that must have been quite a tricky thing well it's the first time in public but of course in private they have been talking to each other and I think it underlines the fact that you moves at two levels you've got that the personal and the institution and here on show we've got them as a working family in public but you know the family bonds are still where they do you can go to the cambridge of course they have to leave ahead of the new conductors of sausage that's just the way it goes as it's it's it's it's a pecking order and that's one thing that that won't change Prince Harry remains six and nine to the throne but this sort of protocol is sort of waiting while one cargos having to wait for the next one that's going to be a way of life that's that's simply gonna move on for them now but he will be back I mean you know next month hopefully depending on travel plans but hopefully at the moment the Duke of Sussex there he's due back in London to mark the start of the London Marathon and we'll just see them carrying on it at a charitable level but not at this sort of formal level we've talked about fifty four members of the Commonwealth now it's that it or do you think it's gonna grow further well there's always a there's always a queue and there the Duke of Sussex himself when he was in South Africa in southern Africa on his tour last at the end of last year he dropped in on Angola now behind the scenes they're the were discussions Angola never part of the British Empire never never a country that doesn't speak English but there again another country that's seen what the Commonwealth can do for that part of the world they're in the queue to join and Prince Harry will have played his part in that and Boris Johnson the Prime Minister with Kerry Simmons his newly announced field say and he is someone who is clearly going to to work towards building a great relationship between London and the Commonwealth hasn't always been the case with with recent prime minister's medical no it's certainly John Major was was very very Pro Commonwealth having lived in the Commonwealth Sussex congratulating Anthony Joshua on his speech but in the in the Tony Blair years that was a drop off no question the Foreign Office moved its focused completely I think sometimes forgot what the see in FCO stood for but it's gone back to being the Foreign and Commonwealth Office now I think that one of the things that struck me most of all about today has been the sheer number of young people involved I mean most of the performers are a pretty young but watching the children school children Scouts Girl Guides etc taking part in this Commonwealth Service as Anthony Joshua said in his speech if you can enable the untapped and enormous potential of the Commonwealth 1.4 billion young people you can transform our world for the better that sums it up doesn't it it does and and as that you can don't just leave you know they they in many ways the organization they represent know the Queen's Commonwealth trust they still president vice president of that that that's all about young people as is indeed the Commonwealth Games the next big Commonwealth event coming to Britain and I suspect we will see both of them turning up for it in 2022 in Birmingham is the next Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Games come around the Olympics they run two years between each Olympic Games of course they're not as big but they're massively significant to city I remember going to the Commonwealth Games when they were in Manchester amazing major event as will be in Birmingham in two years to have indeed and and rather like the Invictus games that the new go Sussex will be attending in in the hey in in May they they are not like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games often called the friendly games because there is just that added dimension of these shared links and now this I think this is a moving and very significant moment I think this is a moment you'll see on a lot of front pages tomorrow as the as the couple as they they're not just saying farewell to these young people on the steps by the great way store but this is certainly au revoir if not a deer I think it's a revoir to a way of life that they will no longer be part of it certainly for the foreseeable future but not an era where entirely to the Commonwealth just this morning the Duchess of Sussex was meeting with the Commonwealth universities yes Association of which she is very involved which brings together hundreds of universities across the Commonwealth and helps them work together help some exchange learning information and and staff exactly more than 500 universities the oldest university network in the world came back to 1913 and the Duchess remains very much an active patron of that in the same way that Duke himself is involved with so many other Commonwealth charities that as its gonna change this is the moment isn't it they're out of the Abbey out of the fence that surrounds the a be saying goodbye to those who have run today's service as they prepare to get into the car that will whisk them away from the Abbey whisked them away from this great public event this afternoon and whisked them away from public life or at least from formal royal from formal royal public life they are next time we see them it will be more a case of corny Harry and I'll still retain the HRH but they won't be using it they are effectively heading off to in slightly uncharted waters territory that the members the royal family haven't been to before the Queen wants to make it as give it give it the best possible chance but there is 12 months review just so that we can see how it pans out meanwhile this is the traditional face of royalty the darlin countess of wessex Doon what Royals have done over the centuries and will continue to do and with very passionate and specialists interest the Countess of Wessex particular interests we've been hearing in in issues around sites across the Commonwealth Robert Harbin thank you very much Thank You Dean Ron for joining us here at Westminster Abbey this afternoon the end of this great celebration painting such a vivid picture of the Commonwealth and its 54 members two point four billion people countries large and small rich and poor countries working together to address issues relating to health politics and the environment all of them responding to the head of the Commonwealth Her Majesty the Queen whose service this has been this afternoon from all of us here at Westminster Abbey a very good afternoon [Music]

Channel: BBC

Views: 4,879,356

Keywords: commonwealth countries, A Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day watch online, prince william and harry, prince william, prince william and kate middleton, kate middleton, westminster abbey service, westminster abbey choir, westminster abbey organ, britain, bbc 1, bbc one, royal family, special coverage, Meghan Markle, prince harry and meghan markle kiss, state landau, Prince Harry, royal, british pageantry, monarchy, carriage parade, british, live from westminster abbey

Id: iksBZyRLfu8

Length: 79min 30sec (4770 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 09 2020