The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are to join senior members of the royal family next month for a service of commemoration to mark the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, who served in the conflict, will also attend the service at St Paul's Cathedral alongside the Earl and Countess of Wessex and The Duke of Gloucester.

The Queen had not been due to attend the event but Buckingham Palace today confirmed her presence after finalising her diary.

The service on March 13 will be followed by a military parade of personnel who served in Afghanistan to pay tribute to those killed and injured during the 13 year campaign.

Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and defence secretary Michael Fallon will join veterans of the conflict, close relatives of troops who lost their lives and representatives of all regular and reserve armed forces units which served in Afghanistan at the commemoration.

The event will include a parade through the City of London from St Paul's to the Guildhall and a flypast.

During the service, a cross made of shell casings that adorned a memorial wall in Camp Bastion will be blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury before being later moved to the The Royal British Legion's National Memorial Arboretum.

The Ministry of Defence said the service will "reflect on the 453 servicemen and women who lost their lives during that campaign".

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "I am delighted that so many members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families will be able to mark the day either at the St Paul's service, by marching in the parade, or at one of the other services across the UK.

"I hope that people across the country will join them in remembering those we have lost and recognising the extraordinary courage and dedication of all those who served.

"They leave a proud legacy - terrorists have been prevented from using Afghanistan as a safe haven for attacks on our streets and it is a safer and more prosperous country."