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The Queen and Kate Middleton to appear in TV special on the same day as Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview

The royal family will mark Commonwealth Day

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Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
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The royal family will take part in a special TV programme to mark Commonwealth Day in lieu of this year's service.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex will appear in A Celebration for Commonwealth Day, which will be broadcast on Sunday 7 March on BBC One. 

The royals had been due to attend the annual service at Westminster Abbey in London on 8 March, but this has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. 

The TV special will also air the same day as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's primetime interview with US chat show host, Oprah Winfrey.

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The last public engagement the couple attended was the 2020 Commonwealth Day service, shortly before they moved to the US. 

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roayls commonwealth© Photo: Getty Images

The royals at the 2020 Commonwealth Day service

The Queen will share her annual message during the Commonwealth Day TV programme. 

Westminster Abbey's website adds: "Presented from the Abbey by Anita Rani, this Commonwealth celebration will hear voices from across the world alongside music and readings, including performances by the Choir of Westminster Abbey, Nitin Sawhney, Lianne La Havas, Alexis Ffrench, and a reflection by double Commonwealth gold medal winning athlete Denise Lewis. 

"The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, will lead prayers and blessings and will be joined by faith leaders from around the Commonwealth".

The Commonwealth Day Service has been held at Westminster Abbey since 1972. It is Britain's largest annual inter-faith gathering, and celebrates the people and cultures of the Commonwealth nations.

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