London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Apr 11, 2026

Armistice Day: UK gathers for remembrance of deaths in military conflicts

Armistice Day: UK gathers for remembrance of deaths in military conflicts

The UK has come together for Armistice Day, a year after ceremonies were disrupted by the pandemic.

The Duchess of Cornwall laid a cross amid the poppies at the Field of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey.

And delegates at the COP26 summit in Glasgow stopped to observe a two-minute silence at 11:00 GMT to commemorate those who died in military conflicts.

Remembrance in 2020 had been reduced by Covid rules with people encouraged to stay home and remember the fallen.

With no restrictions now remaining, events took place again across the UK this year.

Camilla - who was representing the Royal Family at the commemorations - observed the silence ahead of the opening of the 93rd Field of Remembrance, which will be accessible to the public until 21 November.

A single gun was fired from Edinburgh Castle as local government officials there joined members of the armed forces laying wreaths at the Scott Monument.

The silence was also observed at the Field of Remembrance at Belfast's City Hall, at the cenotaph in the centre of Derry and at Cathays Park in Cardiff.

Meanwhile, a service took place at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Camilla joined the service outside Westminster Abbey...

....as poppy wreaths were laid at the nearby Cenotaph


COP26 president Alok Sharma, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stood in silence at the climate summit in Glasgow

1st Battalion of The Duke Of Lancaster's Regiment march through the streets of Liverpool before the city observed the two-minute silence at 1100


A two-minute silence is held every year on 11 November at 11:00 GMT to mark the end of World War One in 1918.

The silence is held then because the end of hostilities between Germany and the Allies was declared "on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month".

The traditional symbol of remembrance is the poppy, with people wearing pins and laying wreaths of them in tribute.

When is Remembrance Sunday?


Remembrance Sunday - observed on the closest Sunday to Armistice Day - features the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London. It will be held this Sunday.

The Queen is expected to pay tribute at the ceremony, alongside other members of the Royal Family, serving and former members of the armed forces, representatives of Commonwealth nations and senior British politicians.

Like Armistice Day, Remembrance Sunday will see the nation fall silent at 11:00 to remember the war dead.

The Duchess of Cornwall met veterans and armed forces representatives at Westminster Abbey

The centre of Belfast fell silent at 1100

Shoppers observed the two-minute silence in Liverpool


In London, hundreds of wreaths have travelled to major stations from around the UK and overseas from locations including the Falkland Islands, as part of the Poppies to Paddington and Routes of Remembrance campaigns by The Veterans Charity.

One has already toured the UK and on Thursday travelled up the Thames, before being taken to the Tower of London on board HMS Belfast - a surviving World War Two Navy warship.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson posted a photograph on social media showing him observing the two-minute silence at Downing Street.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who observed the silence at the Cenotaph, and tweeted thanking "everyone who has served, and continues to serve, in our armed forces".



The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tweeted a photograph of the Field of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum - with William and Catherine adding a message "remembering the armed forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, for the vital role played by the emergency services & those that have lost their lives as a result of conflict".

On Saturday, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will lead other members of the Royal Family at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

The Queen has confirmed she will not be at the annual event organised by the Royal British Legion forces charity, after doctors advised her to rest for two weeks. But she said it was her "firm intention" to attend the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph the following day.

During an engagement in Brixton, south London, for his Prince's Trust charity, a man asked the Prince of Wales about the Queen. Prince Charles gave him a pat on the arm, and appeared to say: "She's alright, thank you."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
UK Calls for Full and Toll-Free Access Through Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Starmer Signals Strategic Shift for Britain Amid Escalating Iran-Linked Tensions
UK Issues Firm Warning to Russia Over Covert Underwater Military Activity
OpenAI Halts Stargate UK Project, Casting Uncertainty Over Britain’s AI Expansion Plans
Starmer Voices Frustration Over Global Pressures Driving UK Energy Costs Higher
UK Deploys Military Assets to Protect Undersea Cables From Suspected Russian Threat
Canada Aligns With US, UK and Australia as Europe Prepares Major Digital Border Overhaul
Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance Sparks Fresh Speculation
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
UK to Partner with Shipping Industry to Rebuild Confidence in Strait of Hormuz, Cooper Says
UK Interest Rate Expectations Ease Following US–Iran Ceasefire Agreement
Starmer Signals Major Effort Needed to Fully Reopen Strait of Hormuz During Gulf Visit
UK Fuel Prices Face Ongoing Volatility Amid Global Pressures and Domestic Factors
Kanye West’s Planned Italy Festival Appearance Draws Debate After UK Entry Ban
Smuggling Routes Shift Toward Belgium as Migrant Crossings to UK Evolve
Ceasefire Offers Potential Relief for UK Fuel and Food Prices Amid Ongoing Uncertainty
Iran Conflict Raises Questions Over UK’s Global Influence and Military Preparedness
Senator McConnell Visits Kentucky to Highlight Federal Investment in Local Projects
Kanye West Barred from Entering UK as Legal Grounds Come into Focus
UK Denies Visa to Kanye West After Sponsors Withdraw from Wireless Festival
Trump-Era Forest Service Restructuring Leads to Closure of UK Lab Focused on Kentucky Woodland Health
Foreign Students in the UK Describe Harsh Living Conditions and Financial Pressures
Reform UK Proposes Visa Restrictions on Nations Pursuing Reparations Claims
Public Reaction Divides Over UK Decision to Bar Kanye West
Calls Grow for UK to Review US Base Access Following Concerns Over Escalating Rhetoric
UK Indicates It Will Not Permit Use of Its Bases for Potential US Strikes on Iran’s Energy Infrastructure
UK Prime Minister Defends Decision to Bar Kanye West, Questions Festival Booking
UK Accelerates Efforts to Harmonise Medical Technology Rules with United States
Wireless Festival Cancelled After Kanye West Denied Entry to the United Kingdom
Australia’s most decorated living soldier was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with five counts of war-crime murder for the killing of unarmed Afghan civilians
The CIA’s Secret Technology That Can Find You by Your Heartbeat Successfully Locates Downed Airman
Operation Europe: Trump Deploys Vance to Hungary to Save the EU
King Charles Faces Criticism From Some UK Christians Over Absence of Easter Message
Former UK Defence Secretary Raises Concerns Over Ability to Counter Iran Missile Threat
×