Meghan Markle and Prince Harry news – live: Couple attend final royal engagement at Westminster Abbey
Duke and Duchess of Sussex to officially step down from royal roles on 31 March
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are attending their final official royal engagement before they step down as working members of the royal family before they step down from their roles on 31 March.
The Commonwealth Service is held every year on the second Monday of March, and is attended by heads of government and representatives from the 54 countries of the Commonwealth.
The occasion will be the last time Meghan and Prince Harry make a public appearance as working members of the royal family, before quitting their duties on 31 March.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will make their final appearance as working members of the royal family this afternoon.
The couple are set to attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, which begins at 3pm and ends at 4pm.
Meghan and Harry will not participate in today's procession through Westminster Abbey at the beginning of the Commonwealth Service.
Instead, the couple will be escorted to their seats after the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Craig David and Alexandra Burke are set to perform at today's Commonwealth Service, which takes place at 3pm in Westminster Abbey.
The service will be televised live on BBC One from 2.15pm.
It has been reported that last-minute changes made on Sunday mean that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will also not join the Queen for the Commonwealth Day service procession.
According to a source, the alterations were made despite the Order of Service having already been signed off and printed.
Neither Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have commented on why the last-minute switch was made.
Last week, Meghan took part in her final solo engagement as a working member of the royal family.
The duchess made a surprise visit to Royal Clack Upper School in Dagenham ahead of International Women's Day.
During the visit, the school's head boy, Aker Okoye, joined Meghan on stage, where he spoke to his fellow pupils about the importance of the annual event.
The teenage schoolboy who hugged the Duchess of Sussex during her solo visit to Royal Clack Upper School wrote to Prince Harry, stating: "I hope you didn't mind me cuddling your wife."
He added: "It was a pleasure to hear her speech and to speak in front of her as well."
During last year's Commonwealth Service at Westminster, the royal family exited Westminster Abbey as part of a procession.
This year, neither the Sussexes nor the Cambridges will join the Queen for the procession during the commemorative event.
Commonwealth Service March 2019 (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Wire)
On Thursday 5 March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London.
The duchess wore a simple turquoise dress with cap sleeves designed by Victoria Beckham for the event.
The occasion marked Meghan and Prince Harry's first official joint public engagement since announcing their decision to step down as senior royals.
On Saturday night, the couple attended the Mountbatten Festival of Music.
The couple were given a standing ovation as they entered London's Royal Albert Hall to take their seats, Meghan in a red gown by Safiyaa and Prince Harry dressed in his Captain General of the Royal Marines uniform.
A crowd of people lined up to go into Westminster Abbey ahead of today's service.
Spectators waited in anticipation for Meghan and Prince Harry to arrive for their final official royal engagement.
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