KING CHARLES led the nation in remembrance on Sunday (9), observing a two-minute silence during the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London to honour those who died in war.
The King, dressed in the Royal Navy uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet and wearing a red poppy brooch, laid a wreath at the monument in Whitehall. Thousands gathered to pay their respects as Big Ben struck eleven.
The 12-year-old Prince George attended his first tribute for soldiers killed in action at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Saturday (8), accompanied by his mother Catherine.
The Festival of Remembrance event was organised by the Royal British Legion, an association dedicated to supporting veterans and their families.
On Sunday (9), the King was joined by Queen Camilla, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, opposition leaders and senior members of the Royal Family. The ceremony, steeped in tradition, was also attended by representatives of the armed forces, veterans’ organisations and faith groups.
More than 10,000 armed forces veterans, including around 20 from the Second World War, took part in the Royal British Legion’s annual march-past along Whitehall. The diminishing number of surviving World War Two veterans lent the occasion an added poignancy.
Among those present was 101-year-old Donald Poole, a veteran of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, who joined the Burma Star Memorial Fund contingent. “It’s a great honour to pay tribute to the poor souls who have died in all conflicts,” he said. “I know how lucky I am to still be here thanks to all those who have fought and served, past and present.”
Crowds applauded warmly as veterans, wearing medals and poppies, passed by the Cenotaph. Scouts, cadets and children handed out orders of service to those lining the streets.
Starmer said the nation paused “to honour all those who have served our country”. He added: “We reflect on the extraordinary courage of our armed forces in the world wars and in more recent conflicts, whose service secured the freedoms we cherish today.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also laid wreaths. In Edinburgh, Scottish First Minister John Swinney led a separate remembrance service at the Scottish National War Memorial. Events also took place in Cardiff and Belfast.
Prince George of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance event at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, on November 8, 2025 ahead of Remembrance Day commemorations. (Photo by JACK TAYLOR/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
This year’s commemorations carry particular significance as 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Across the UK, cathedrals, churches and community groups held their own services of remembrance.
On Saturday, King, Queen and the Princess of Wales attended the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. The family paid tribute to fallen service members through music and reflection.
The Festival, hosted by actress Hannah Waddingham, featured performances by Sir Rod Stewart and the Massed Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines, the Household Division and the Royal Air Force.
The evening also marked 25 years since the ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual people serving in the armed forces was lifted.
The Prince of Wales was absent from the Festival as he travelled back from Brazil, where he attended the COP30 UN climate summit and visited conservation projects.
The service concluded with the Last Post, the Reveille, and the national anthem as poppy petals floated down from rooftops above the Cenotaph, symbolising lives lost in conflict.
(with inputs from AFP)
