I’ve been waiting to see when the Windsors turn up for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. I guess it’s a late-afternoon service in London, or maybe I’m just still mixed-up because of Daylight Savings. In any case, no photos of the royals are in as I write this, and yet the photographers are already in position at the Abbey. Turns out, republican protesters have already set up shop outside the Abbey as well – check out Republic’s protest for Commonwealth Day!

I’m pleased to see that Republic now has a variety of signs and banners now. Their go-to sign was the simple and elegant “Not My King” – an easy and memorable message. Now they’re doing “Ditch the Duchies” and “Abolish the Monarchy” banners and signs too. There was an outpouring of republican sentiment after a series of exposés revealed just how corrupt the Duchy of Cornwall and Duchy of Lancaster really are. Like, Prince William and King Charles really are slumlords who keep peasants stuck in terrible rental properties. They’re also charging charities, the Ministry of Defense and the NHS exorbitant rental rates too. It’s a mess and the duchies should be abolished.

I remember a few years ago, Republic did a somewhat big protest outside another Commonwealth Day service and Charles looked like he had seen a ghost. I don’t think Republic protested the Commonwealth service last year though, possibly because of Charles’s cancer diagnosis (and his absence from the service).

Also: is that supposed to be a T-Rex? It’s sort of cool, like an art installation. Anyway, the Commonwealth pics will probably have to wait until tomorrow.

Update: I’m adding some photos of Prince William & Kate – Kate repeated a Catherine Walker coat she’s had for years.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.