King Charles leads nation in 2-minute silence as Britain remembers our fallen soldiers on Remembrance Sunday
KING Charles has led a two-minute silence on Remembrance Sunday.
The Royal Family have gathered at the Cenotaph for a sombre service to remember fearless British soldiers who lost their lives fighting for our country.
Veterans lined up in the middle of Whitehall as they prepared to take part in the Royal British Legion’s march past the ’empty tomb’.
Charles appeared emotional as the nation remembered the 886,000 British personnel who died in the First World War.
The King, Prince William and Prince Edward have each laid a wreath at the foot of the Cenotaph, the national war memorial.
Charles’s wreath is modelled one made for his grandfather, King George VI.
It has 41 poppies mounted on black leaves, with ribbons and a bow from Charles’s racing silk – scarlet, purple and gold.
The King is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and previously served in the Royal Navy.
He is wearing his Admiral of the Fleet uniform with a greatcoat, poppy and sword.
In a statement, the Royal Family said: “We remember them. On behalf of the nation, The King lays a wreath at the Cenotaph during the annual Service of Remembrance.
“Wreaths were also laid by The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal and The Duke of Edinburgh, and on behalf of The Queen and The Duke of Kent.”
Today is the first time the Princess of Wales, 42, has carried out official Royal engagements on consecutive days since last December.
Kate, who continues to recover following her treatment for cancer, made a radiant return to duties at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on Saturday evening.
William revealed Kate aims to step up her royal engagements in 2025.
He said: “I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so, we’ll have some more trips maybe lined up.”
Last night William affectionately put his arm around his wife as they emerged from their car outside the Royal Albert Hall.
The couple smiled and chatted warmly while taking their seats for the concert.
Kate, in a black dress and coat, wore Princess Diana’s pearl drop earrings with diamond carrier, plus a matching necklace.
She was seen in the earrings at the Cenotaph ceremony in 2022.
Diana had been gifted them by jewellers Collingwood for her 1981 wedding to Charles.
Leading the royals at last night’s event, the King — who is also being treated for cancer — was in good spirits as he chatted to Armed Forces veterans.
The Queen, 77, was absent as she battles a chest infection.
Earlier yesterday Buckingham Palace confirmed Camilla was staying at home to rest but there was no cause for concern.
The Palace said: “Following doctors’ guidance to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection, and to protect others from any potential risk, Her Majesty will not attend this weekend’s Remembrance events.”
In January Kate spent 13 nights at The London Clinic for abdominal surgery.
Subsequent tests found cancer and she began preventative chemotherapy treatment in late February.
In September she told the world in a family video that she had finished chemo.
Last week William visited South Africa — his first foreign trip since Kate’s diagnosis.
Lifting the lid on his dad and wife’s cancer battles he has described the year as “brutal” and “dreadful”.
He and mum-of-three Kate cancelled a trip to Italy and to see British troops in the Baltic.
Kate had aimed to time her return for the Remembrance services, plus her Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey.
Charles will lead the nation on Sunday in a two-minute silence to honour those who have died in conflict.
The Royal British Legion’s veteran parade will see 10,000 veterans, representing 326 different armed forces and civilian organisations, march past the Cenotaph.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in the Second World War and the 25th anniversary of the end of the war in Kosovo.
It also marks the 75th anniversary of NATO and the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between the UK and France.
More than 800 sailors, soldiers and aviators will be on duty on Remembrance Sunday.
Kate will watch, as is tradition, from above on the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office balcony overlooking Whitehall.
Camilla's touching tribute to Queen Mother
QUEEN Camilla will not be at today's Remembrance commemorations as she continues to struggle with a chest infection.
But Camilla’s equerry Major Ollie Plunkett will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on her behalf.
The 95-poppy wreath closely resembles one made for the Queen Mother, who died in 2002.
It has a ribbon in the colours of Camilla’s racing silk – brown, red and yellow.
Here are some of the other wreaths which the royals will lay at the Cenotaph today:
King Charles
Charles’s wreath is modelled one made for his grandfather, King George VI.
It has 41 poppies mounted on black leaves, with ribbons and a bow from Charles’s racing silk – scarlet, purple and gold.
The King is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and previously served in the Royal Navy.
He will wear his Admiral of the Fleet uniform with a greatcoat, poppy and sword.
Prince William
William will wear his RAF Wing Commander uniform with a greatcoat, poppy and sword.
He will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph while Princess Kate looks on from the Foreign Office balcony.
William served in the Armed Forces full-time for seven and a half years, before leaving in 2013.
Prince Edward
The Duke of Edinburgh will wear his Royal Wessex Yeomanry uniform as he lays a wreath.
He holds 10 military appointments and recently visited the Royal Dragoon Guards before they deployed to Estonia.
His wife Princess Sophie will watch the service with Princess Kate from the Foreign Office balcony.
Princess Anne
Anne holds the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy, General in the Army and Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force.
She also serves as Patron of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, known as the Wrens.
Her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will join Kate and Sophie on the Foreign Office balcony.