Royal family to attend service without Queen Elizabeth II

Members of Britain's royal family plan to attend a Friday church service honouring Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne, although the queen herself is skipping the event at St Paul's Cathedral in London due to difficulty getting around at age 96.

The service of thanksgiving is taking place on the second of four days of festivities celebrating the queen's Platinum Jubilee. On Thursday, thousands of royal supporters cheered wildly as the queen joined other senior royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch 70 British military aircraft fly past.

The queen decided not to attend Friday's church service after experiencing “some discomfort” during Thursday's events. Prince Charles will stand in for her.

The congregation at St Paul's is expected to include members of the royal family, senior politicians, diplomats and more than 400 essential workers, charity volunteers and members of the armed forces who have been invited in recognition of their service to the community.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is set to deliver a sermon. Cottrell stepped in after Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tested positive for COVID-19. The service will begin and end with the tolling of Great Paul, the largest church bell in Britain.

Friday's televised church service is expected to bring the first public appearance by Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, during their visit to Britain for the jubilee.

The couple, who gave up royal duties and moved to California two years ago, kept a low profile Thursday, appearing only in photographs shot through the windows of the building from which members of the royal family watched the Queen's Birthday Parade.