maundy

When the King wasn’t at events, such as the Maundy Service and the Commonwealth Service, there were video and audio messages played instead.

Camilla, once shunned by the public for her role in the breakup of Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana, played a particularly prominent role during the king’s absence, standing in for her husband at major events such as the annual Royal Maundy service on the Thursday before Easter.

On Holy Thursday, known in Britain as Maundy Thursday, Charles skipped a service at which the monarch traditionally hands out gifts of special “Maundy Money” coins to people involved in community service.

Earlier this week the King spoke of his "great sadness" at missing the traditional Maundy Thursday service, which was instead attended by Queen Camilla.

Queen Camilla represented her husband during the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral, presenting bags of specially minted coins to people being honored for public service.