King Charles honours Prince Edward as he skips key appearance with Sophie

Prince Edward, who was dubbed the Duke of Edinburgh following the ascension of his brother King Charles, marked a significant day in his life on Monday.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Wednesday that the Duke will not be attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service along with his wife, Duchess Sophie, as senior members of the royal family will be reuniting.

The royal will be celebrating his 61st birthday but he is expected to leave the UK for royal engagement. Meanwhile, Sophie will be travelling to New York for a separate scheduled event.

While Edward will not be present with the royal family, King Charles’ office on Monday honoured the royal on his special day.

A photo of a smiling Edward was shared with the message, “Happy Birthday to The Duke of Edinburgh!”

Prince Edward and Sophie have been rising to a more prominent role in the monarchy as they have been carrying out significant roles on behalf of the King.

Duchess Sophie was also given a special tribute on milestone birthday in January with rare photoshoot.