When is The Queen’s Commonwealth Day 2021 address and how can you watch in the UK?

Royal fans will be keen to tune in to Queen Elizabeth II’s Commonwealth Day address today.

Despite tensions and anticipation surrounding Harry and Meghan’s upcoming Oprah special – which will air in the UK the following day – her Majesty is keen to share a special message to mark the international celebration.

But what is Commonwealth Day, and what is the Queen expected to say?

Here’s all you need to know…

What is Commonwealth Day?

Commonwealth Day is a yearly celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations.

It is often held on the second Monday in March – which falls on March 8 this year.

The Commonwealth’s roots date back to the British Empire, but today it is a ‘voluntary association’ of 54 different countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and beyond.

Members of the Commonwealth include countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Singapore, Fiji, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania.

In 16 Commonwealth countries, Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state, so naturally Commonwealth Day is an important one for the Royal Family.

Usually, there is a Westminster Abbey service to mark the day, however, due to the pandemic, The Queen will give a televised address instead.

What can we expect from the Queen’s Commonwealth address?

The theme this year is called ‘Delivering a Common Future’ – so we can expect The Queen’s address to touch on what the future holds in terms of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: ‘In Her Majesty’s annual Commonwealth Day message, The Queen will pay tribute to the way in which communities across the family of nations have come together in response to the pandemic.’

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall will also take part in the programme, as will The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

How to watch the Queen’s address in the UK

You can watch The Queen’s Commonwealth Day address live on BBC One at 5pm on Sunday, March 7.

Though if you miss it, you can likely catch up on BBC iPlayer, which requires a login but is available free for TV license payers.

It’s likely that key parts of The Queen’s address will appear on the BBC’s official YouTube channel, too.

Her Majesty’s coronavirus broadcast, and 2020 Christmas Speech, remain available to watch on YouTube.

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