Advertisement

When is the Queen’s Commonwealth Day address and how to watch in the UK?

<p>Royal family on  the Buckingham Palace balcony watching a military fly-past to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force.</p> (AFP via Getty Images)

Royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony watching a military fly-past to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force.

(AFP via Getty Images)

The Queen’s Commonwealth TV special will air on Sunday night just hours before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s Oprah interview is aired in the US.

The annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey has been cancelled this year for the first time in nearly half a century, because of the pandemic.

But the Queen, along with other senior members of the Royal family, will share her annual message in a one-off BBC show on Sunday at 5pm.

Buckingham Palace, which is bracing itself for dramatic revelations from the Sussexes, said the programme will pay tribute to the way in which communities across the “family of nations” have “come together.”

Here are the key details before the big day:

When is the Queen’s Commonwealth Day address to the nation?

On Sunday March 7, ahead of Harry and Meghan’s sit-down, senior royals will appear on television to celebrate Commonwealth Day - the focus will be the global health crisis.

It will be pre-recorded at Windsor Castle then broadcast as part of the programme ‘A Celebration for Commonwealth Day,’ on BBC One.

The Queen will be joined by other senior royals, including Prince Charles, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, and Kate the Duchess of Cambridge - a stark difference from last year’s public appearance which featured Harry and Meghan.

In a new trailer released on Friday, ahead of the interview, the Duchess of Sussex said it is “liberating” to be able to “speak for herself” in a new trailer of the tell-all interview.

She also tells how she struggled transitioning from an independent life to one within the “construct” of the Royal Family.

What is the Queen expected to say?

The Queen, in an audio message, will pay tribute to the way in which communities across the “family of nations” have “come together” in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The 2021 theme is “Delivering a Common Future’” – aiming to highlight how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are “innovating, connecting and transforming” to help achieve some of its biggest goals.

Buckingham Palace has said the programme will also celebrate “Her Majesty’s lifetime commitment to the Commonwealth.”

How can I watch the Queen’s Commonwealth Day address?

The annual message will be broadcast on Sunday, March 7, on BBC One at 5pm.

Viewers can watch online or on their TV.

Harry and Meghan’s interview will be released a few hours later.

Oprah With Meghan And Harry: A CBS Primetime Special will premiere on American television network CBS News on Sunday March 7 at 8pm Eastern Time, which is around 1am in the UK.

Read More

UK’s R rate estimated at 0.7-0.9 as covid infections continue to fall

Travel agents braced for a surge in holiday bookings to Cyprus

House prices dip for second month in a row