The traditional Remembrance Sunday service was held at the Cenotaph this morning, marking 100 years since the end of WWI. The service was attended by members of the Armed Forces and the Royal Family. The Queen chose not to participate again this year, leaving it to heir Prince Charles to lay a wreath for her, on behalf of the nation.
Thousands of people turned up at the Cenotaph to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War today (11/11/2018) as part of the traditional National Service of Remembrance. (MOD)
Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh decided this morning he would not attend, but it had not been expected. The Duke saw action during World War II in the Royal Navy.
A two-minute silence was held at 11am, followed by the laying of wreaths to commemorate the servicemen and women killed in all conflicts from the First World War onwards. The conflict ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, making it exactly 100 years to the minute that the guns fell silent.
Her Majesty stood on the balcony of the Foreign Office, joined by The Duchess of Cornwall and The Duchess of Cambridge, watching at The Prince of Wales laid two wreaths, his own and Her Majesty’s. Prince Philip’s was laid by his equerry.
Left to right The Duchess of Cornwall, The Queen and The Duchess of Cambridge joined thousands of people to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War today as part of the traditional National Service of Remembrance. (MOD)
Prince of Wales lays The Queen’s wreath during Remembrance Sunday at the cenotaph. (mod)
Other members of the Royal Family in attendance were The Duke of Cambridge, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, who each laid a wreath of poppies together. William wore his RAF uniform as an Honorary Air Commandant, while Harry was in his Blues and Royals kit; Prince Andrew dressed in navy uniform as Admiral of the Sea Cadets, while Edward chose the London Regiment dress.
The duke of cambridge and duke of sussex also laid wreaths (mod)
Following the senior Royals, The Princess Royal, Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent took their turn to honour the fallen. Anne wore naval uniform, as Admiral and Chief Commandant for Women in the Royal Navy, while The Duke of Kent wore his uniform as Colonel of the Scots Guards, and Prince Michael dressed as an Honorary Air Marshall in the RAF.
The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also laid a wreath on behalf of the German people; this is the first time since the Cenotaph was inaugurated in 1920 that a representative of Germany took part in the National Service of Remembrance and his attendance symbolises the peace and friendship that exists between the UK and Germany.
For The Duchess of Sussex, this being her first Remembrance Sunday, she was joined by the German President’s wife, Elke Büdenbender, while The Countess of Wessex stood with Sir Tim Lawrence.
Pictured left to right are Frau Elke Büdenbender and The Duchess of Sussex. (mod)
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester travelled to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to mark the occasion, where throngs of crowds had turned up for the commemoration.
Back in London, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Carter were in attendance, and the chiefs of staff of the three services laid wreaths at the Cenotaph on behalf of the Armed Forces.
The Prime Minister also attended the service along with other members of the Cabinet, former Prime Ministers and 765 Armed Forces personnel.
Armed forces personnel laid their own wreaths, as well as those from military-related organisations and charities (mod)
Members of the armed forces led the nation in marking the centenary of the Armistice at the National Service of Remembrance, ending four years of First World War centenary commemorations.
Personnel from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force were on parade at the Cenotaph on Whitehall, London, as members of the Royal Family and senior politicians lay wreaths after the two minutes’ silence.
1 comment
very interesting … we must not forget all the evil that the war caused … and Germany must participate and clean the whole past