Queen 'sad' traditional pre-Easter service is cancelled as Her Majesty recognises 190 Royal Maundy Recipients

The Queen has expressed her sadness over the cancellation of a traditional pre-Easter event, the Maundy Thursday Service, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In recent years, Her Majesty has marked the occasion at St George's Chapel in Windsor, meeting with a series of pensioners after the mass to give them a specially-minted coin, known as the Maundy Gift.

Each year the number of men and women selected to receive "the purses" reflects the monarch's age, so this year 190 people were posted the honour.

The 95 men and 95 women also received an accompanying letter, personally signed by the Queen.

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"Each year, at the Royal Maundy Service, we have an opportunity to recognise, and give thanks for, work done by countless people for the well-being of their neighbours; work that has often been taken for granted or hidden," Her Majesty wrote.

"I am sure you will be sad, as I am, that present circumstances make it impossible for that service to take place.

"I hope however that this Maundy Gift will remind you for years to come that your efforts have been truly appreciated."

This year's service was set to take place in Westminster Abbey but was cancelled as England's third lockdown remains in place.

It's the second year the coronavirus has scuppered the service, with the 2020 event called off at the start of the UK's first lockdown.

In 2019 Her Majesty attended the service with Princess Eugenie.

In 2018 the Queen attended the service solo, while in 2017 Prince Philip accompanied his wife one last time before retiring from public duties in August that year.