Secondary school pupils have joined royalty and world leaders for a "breathtaking experience" in London.

Rickmansworth School was again honoured for its students to attend Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day service on Monday.

This year's service marked the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Commonwealth Charter by Queen Elizabeth II on March 11, 2013.

The event is the largest annual multi-faith service in the UK and was the first Commonwealth Day to be presided over by King Charles III.

It celebrates the unity and diversity of the modern Commonwealth and aims to foster a greater understanding of the organisation’s role and achievements.

Student Trevor Mwangi said: “At Westminster, we saw a showcase of many cultures in the Commonwealth, like a Rwandan ballet which was simply splendid and we were even in the presence of the royal family. It was a valuable experience I will always hold dear to my heart.”

Fellow student Elizabeth Komunadze said: “I found the experience breathtaking and very inspiring. The members of the Commonwealth society delivered such meaningful speeches including from Brianna Frunean, a woman from a small island, talking about the climate and our journeys sailing towards a future we all need to take part in.”

The theme for Commonwealth Day 2023 was ‘forging a sustainable and peaceful common future’. This combines the active commitment of member states to support the promotion of peace, prosperity and sustainability, particularly through climate action, so as to secure a better future for our young people and improve the lives of all Commonwealth citizens.