The Royal Family at the Royal Maundy and Easter Services

[Alexandra123]

On 9 April, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the Royal Maundy Service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds.

Gallery of pictures from the service can be found here - http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=85789165
Some selected pictures:
Queen Elizabeth
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh greet the crowd of well-wishers
A group picture taken after the Service
Queen Elizabeth II greets a member of the congregation


* A little information about the Royal Maundy Service:
The service takes place on the Thursday before Easter when the monarch distributes Maundy Money to senior citizens. The money are given in red and white purses; the red purse contains regular money, while the white purse contains specially minted 1, 2, 3 and 4 penny pieces. The Maundy services date back to 600 AD but the first Monarch to participate in the ceremony on some level is believed to be King John. King Edward was the first Monarch to actively take party in the service. The actual distribution of coins by the Monarch was first done in 1932, by King George. All Monarchs after the date, including Edward VIII in 1936, participated in the Maundy service. By 1953 it had become a custom for the Monarch to distribute the Maundy Money; that practice continues to this day.

[Alexandra123]

On 12 April, the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and several other members of the Royal Family attended an Easter Service at Windsor Castle.

Gallery of the pictures from the even can be found here – http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=85789191
Some selected pictures:
The Queen
Her Majesty receives flowers from two little ladies
Edward, Anne and Andrew
Anne and Tim
Edward and Sophie
Sophie
Anne

The Queen and Sophie arrived in the same car, as usual. Her Majesty looked lovely but the things Anne and Sophie had on their heads simply cannot be called hats. I haven't yet decided which is worse - Anne's picnic straw hat or Sophie's bird nest.  ???

[wannable]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/5145644/Princess-Royals-touch-of-summer-for-a-grey-Easter-Sunday.html

[drezzle]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1169527/Stars-strips-Eugenie-bares-nearly-whips-U-S-flag-bikini-top.html

"Princess Anne takes inspiration from Vietnam's rice fields for her Easter bonnet"

Well at least she's smiling  :D

[Satrine]

Anne looked nice otherwise, but the hat was really horrible. It looked like she was wearing a child's hat and then when you think it can't get any worse, she turns around and you see a cluster of fruit on the back of it. I liked that Sophie's hat was a transparent leopard print, but the plumes were to much. Overall though I thought Sophie looked good, I thought she looked her best at the Unveiling Ceremony in the gray w/black stilettos.

[Windsor]

Anne's picnic straw hat or Sophie's bird nest.  ???

:hissyfit: :lmao3: :lmao3: :lmao3:

[heather]

 :hehe:

[Lillianna]

I do agree though, Anne's hat was weird beyond words. Who advises her? I didn't mind Sophie's, I think she has work it before, if I am not mistaken.

[Alexandra123]

Sophie has worn her hat on at least 5 different occasions, and that's only what I personally remember.
Those over-feathered hats seem to be her favourites.