- By Sean Coughlan
- Royal correspondent
February 27, 2024, 11:14 GMT
Updated 11 minutes ago
Prince William unexpectedly withdrew from attending the memorial service for the late former King Constantine of Greece, where he was due to give a reading.
Kensington Palace said this was a “personal matter”.
Queen Camilla led members of the royal family at the service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The king, who is being treated for cancer, was also unable to attend the service.
There are no further details on the “personal matter” that prevented the Prince of Wales from being there on Tuesday morning, but royal sources have indicated there is no cause for concern.
Prince William's wife Catherine, who is recovering from abdominal surgery last month, remains doing well, Kensington Palace says.
The Prince of Wales called the Greek royal family this morning to say he could not join them.
Given this year's series of royal medical stories, including Catherine's surgery, the royal's prostate procedure and subsequent cancer diagnosis, there has been great public interest in her health.
But the atmospheric music from the palace is intended to have a calming effect and not to suggest too much about Prince William's sudden withdrawal.
The service commemorated former King Constantine, William's godfather, who died last year. His eldest son, Crown Prince Pavlos, gave the reading in place of Prince William.
The Queen was driven from Windsor Castle to the 15th century chapel and welcomed by the Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend Christopher Cocksworth, in the Galilee Porch.
Princess Anne and Prince Andrew were among the royal family who attended the memorial service, along with members of foreign royal families who traveled to Windsor to attend.
King Charles was close to his second cousin Constantine, who was once a distant first cousin and sailing partner of the late Duke of Edinburgh.
Constantine died in January last year at the age of 82, decades after he was deposed from the throne in a military coup.
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The Princess Royal and the Queen were among the family members who attended the service
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The royals in attendance included the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York
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The royal participation in the memorial service for King Constantine was large
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Queen Camilla comes to the service
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Crown Prince Pavlos and his wife Marie-Chantal arrive at St. George's Chapel