Harry urged to reunite with William as Charles admits ‘sadness’ at missing service

The Queen was inundated with goodwill messages for the King and Princess of Wales when she stood in for her husband during the historic Royal Maundy Service.

Camilla was asked to pass on public support from some in the congregation at Worcester Cathedral, where she presented Maundy money to community stalwarts in recognition of their service.

And when she went on a brief walkabout, meeting well-wishers outside, she was presented with a card for her daughter-in-law while others told the royal they were thinking of her.

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Here is the King’s full speech which was broadcast during the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today.

“The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart.

“It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet.

“And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other.

“In this country we are blessed by all the different services that exist for our welfare.

“But over and above these organisations and their selfless staff, we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need.

“The 150 men and women who have been chosen today to receive the Maundy money from my wife are wonderful examples of such kindness; of going way beyond the call of duty and of giving so much of their lives to the service of others in their communities.

“The act of worship, here in Worcester Cathedral, reminds me of the pledge I made at the beginning of the coronation service – to follow Christ’s example ‘not to be served but to serve’.

“That I have always tried to do and continue to do, with my whole heart.

“It is my special prayer today that Our Lord’s example of serving one another might continue to inspire us and to strengthen all our communities.

“May God bless you all this Easter.”

King Charles III on Thursday stressed the importance of friendship and acts of caring in a recorded message delivered to a traditional pre-Easter church service, which the monarch skipped as he continues to undergo cancer treatment.

Charles said that Jesus set an “example of how we should serve and care for each other,” and how as a nation “we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need.”

The service, which dates back to the year 600, commemorates the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as an act of service and humility.

Sovereigns no longer wash the feet of the needy as they did in medieval times. Instead, Queen Camilla, who represented her husband at the service, gave purses filled with special coins, known as Maundy money, to 75 women and 75 men, a number dictated by the king’s age.

The service “reminds me of the pledge I made at the beginning of the Coronation Service — to follow Christ’s example ‘not to be served but to serve,’” Charles said in his message. “That I have always tried to do and continue to do, with my whole heart.”

While the message made no direct reference to the royals’ health problems, it marked the king’s first public comment since his daughter-in-law revealed she was undergoing chemotherapy.

Meghan Markle has reportedly urged Prince Harry to reconnect with his brother as the royal family continues to come to terms with its health struggles.

Royal author Tom Quinn said that the Duke of Sussex still has “vague hopes” that he will be forgiven by his estranged family and be offered a “minor role” – four years after he and Meghan stepped down.

He said: “Harry is under pressure to keep some sort of relationship with his family going if only for the sake of the couples’ new ventures. Harry still has vague hopes that he will be forgiven and will be offered a minor role somewhere.

The King has given a personal address to the nation in a pre-recorded Easter message broadcasted at the annual Maundy Thursday service today.

Charles’s audio address was broadcast to a congregation at Worcester Cathedral in his absence, due to the monarch’s continuing cancer treatment.

It did not directly refer to the King and the Princess of Wales’ treatment for undisclosed types of cancer, but highlighted those who “extend the hand of friendship” – likely to be interpreted as the nation’s response to the monarchy’s double health scare.

Charles reaffirmed his coronation pledge in his address: “The act of worship, here in Worcester Cathedral, reminds me of the pledge I made at the beginning of the coronation service – to follow Christ’s example ‘not to be served but to serve’.

“That I have always tried to do and continue to do, with my whole heart.”

Queen Camilla has arrived at the annual Maundy Thursday Service as she steps in for King Charles at Worcester Cathedral.

Wearing a white coat, Camilla was pictured smiling as she arrived at the service where she will hand out ceremonial coins to 75 men and 75 women on behalf of the king.