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Royal family focus on the pandemic in Commonwealth programme

A Celebration for Commonwealth Day will be broadcast on BBC One at 5pm on Sunday March 7.

The Queen and the royal family have turned their attention to the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic for a special Commonwealth programme.

Senior royals will appear on television, focusing on the global health crisis in a one-off BBC show on Sunday.

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.

Commonwealth Day 2020

The Queen on Commonwealth Day last year

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

The Queen, who has reigned for nearly 70 years, is Head of the Commonwealth – a voluntary association of 54 nations.

The Prince of Wales recorded a message addressing “the universal devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic”, and celebrating critical work to combat climate change.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also taken part.

William and Kate will be seen speaking to medical, charity and voluntary staff from across the Commonwealth and hearing about how they have adapted their efforts in response to the pandemic

The Duchess of Cornwall has chatted to broadcaster Clare Balding about the importance of books and reading for children across the Commonwealth, during a year of isolation and disrupted education.

To mark both Commonwealth Day and International Women’s Day, the Countess of Wessex has spoken to three women from around the Commonwealth about their experiences of supporting other women and their wider communities.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also taken part in the Commonwealth celebration

The programme replaces the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

The 2021 service was cancelled for the first time in nearly half a century, because of the pandemic.

A Celebration for Commonwealth Day will be broadcast on BBC One at 5pm on Sunday March 7.

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