Lending a hand! Prince William and Princess Kate‘s children volunteered for The Big Help Out following King Charles III‘s coronation — marking Prince Louis‘ first official royal engagement.
William, 40, and Kate, 41, were joined by their little ones at the 3rd Upton Scout Group in Slough, a town in Berkshire, England, on Monday, May 8. (The Princess of Wales is joint President of the Scout Association.)
Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5, pitched in with planting and painting as the Scouts renovated their hut. The youngest Cambridge sibling was spotted pushing a wheelbarrow, while his older brother took control of the power tools. Charlotte, for her part, looked focused as she held a paintbrush.
George later joined his father in the driver’s seat of a digger truck. The kids squeezed in some fun as they worked, making s’mores around a campfire and showing off their archery skills.
The volunteer festivities were organized by The Together Coalition and various partners across the U.K. “The Big Help Out will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation,” read an announcement on the royal family’s website. “In tribute to His Majesty The King’s public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.”
Per the statement, “The aim of The Big Help Out is to use volunteering to bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend.”
The newly crowned monarch, 74, and Queen Camilla were not present at any of the charitable events set up on Monday. “While wholly supportive of the Big Help Out initiatives taking place right across Britain … [the King and Queen] will not be attending any events in-person. These will instead be attended by other members of the royal family,” a palace spokesperson said.
Along with William and Kate, Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence, showed up to volunteer at Gloucester Cathedral and met with charity representatives from Gloucestershire. Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, were in Reading for a puppy training class at the Guide Dogs Training Centre.
Charles was blessed and anointed by The Archbishop of Canterbury on Saturday, May 6, alongside Camilla, whom he wed in 2005. The couple immediately assumed their new titles of king and queen in September 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Their official crowning took place at Westminster Abbey after a procession from Buckingham Palace.
The service was attended by Charles’ sons, William and Prince Harry, as well as daughter-in-law Kate. Weeks before the event, a palace statement confirmed Meghan Markle would not be traveling with Harry, 38, from their California home.
Charles’ coronation took place on the same day the Sussexes’ son, Archie, turned 4 years old. “As much as Meghan appreciates the invite to the coronation, she wouldn’t miss her son’s birthday for the world,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in April. “Despite being the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan is a mom first.”
After his father’s big day, Harry returned home on Saturday afternoon instead of staying for remaining coronation weekend activities, including the concert on Sunday, May 7. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and more chart-topping artists performed their greatest hits for Charles, Camilla and other royals at Windsor Castle.
His Majesty’s celebration also included The Coronation Choir, which was “created from the nation’s keenest community choirs and amateur singers from across the United Kingdom,” per the royal website. LGBTQ+ musicians, refugee groups, NHS members and more participated in a performance along with The Virtual Choir, which featured singers from all over the Commonwealth.
While he already had a few months of ruling the monarchy under his belt, Charles’ coronation marked an important turning point in his tenure on the throne. During his first address as king in September 2022, the former Prince of Wales declared that he would do his best to make his late mother proud.
“My life will, of course, change as I take up my new responsibilities,” he said at the time. “It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.”
Scroll down for photos from The Big Help Out:
