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Friday, May 22, 2026

Nation falls silent in remembrance for 101st time

The Royal British Legion calls for a pause in our busy lives, 100 years after the first two-minute silence.

The UK has fallen silent for the 101st Armistice Day since World War One to commemorate those who died in conflict.

It is the centenary of the first two-minute silence, held on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

The Royal British Legion called on the nation to put busy lives on pause, set aside differences and remember those who risked their lives.

Politicians marked the day by offering pledges to improve the lives of UK service personnel and their families.

The tradition of a two-minute silence to remember the dead began exactly a year after the end of World War One.

Ahead of this year's commemoration, the Royal British Legion called on the nation to put down digital devices to pay their respects to service personnel.

In a video message, the legion said the commemoration was non-political and non-partisan. It featured 21-year-old actress Eno Mfon saying: "You don't have to agree with the politicians, you don't have to like their decisions."

"The two-minute silence unites us all and is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago," said Catherine Davies, the legion's head of remembrance.

On Sunday, the Queen led tributes to the fallen at the annual ceremony at the Cenotaph in London.

The Royal Family also attended the Royal British Legion's annual Festival of Remembrance on Saturday. It was the first time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been seen with other family members since they revealed they were struggling with life in the public eye.

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