London, Apr 20 (PTI) Britain’s King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla were joined by senior members of the royal family for the Easter Sunday service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The traditional Easter Matins service is held annually at the 15th-century chapel on the royal estate in Berkshire, south-east England.

The 76-year-old monarch was joined by his sister, Princess Anne – the Princess Royal, and brother Prince Andrew – the Duke of York.

A large group of royal fans gathered outside the chapel to catch a glimpse of the royals.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, and their children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, are spending Easter at their family home in Norfolk.

The couple had also missed the service last year after Kate Middleton, who is now in remission, was diagnosed with cancer. Her diagnosis had followed the King’s own cancer diagnosis, treatment for which remains ongoing.

“One of the puzzles of our humanity is how we are capable of both great cruelty and great kindness,” Charles said in his customary Easter message released earlier.

“This paradox of human life runs through the Easter story and in the scenes that daily come before our eyes — at one moment, terrible images of human suffering and, in another, heroic acts in war-torn countries where humanitarians of every kind risk their own lives to protect the lives of others,” he said.

“The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world-the whole world—that he sent his son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death. There are three virtues that the world still needs — faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love’. It is with these timeless truths in my mind, and my heart, that I wish you all a blessed and peaceful Easter,” he concluded.

Britain’s Easter sermon is traditionally given by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the Church of England’s primary religious message for the weekend.

This year, it is being delivered by the Archbishop of York at York Minster instead, given the earlier resignation of Justin Welby as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The UK is marking a long Easter weekend until Monday, having started with the King and Queen taking part in the traditional Maundy Thursday service at Durham Cathedral. PTI AK PY PY