London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Royal Family lead tributes to nation's war dead

The Queen and politicians joined commemorations for those who lost their lives in conflict.

Politicians, Royal Family members and veterans have commemorated those who lost their lives in conflict as the UK marks Remembrance Sunday.

At 11:00 GMT, a two-minute silence was held across the country.

Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Jo Swinson broke away from the election campaign to attend the annual ceremony at the Cenotaph in London.

Prince Charles laid a wreath of poppies during the service on behalf of the Queen, who was watching from a balcony.

The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex followed their father in laying wreaths.

The Queen, dressed in black, stood beside the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Cornwall as she viewed the commemorations.

The Duchess of Sussex looked on from another balcony with the Countess of Wessex and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

The beginning and end of the two minutes' silence were marked by the firing of a gun by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

The commemorations at the Cenotaph honoured the armed forces community, British and Commonwealth veterans, the allies who fought alongside the UK and the civilian servicemen and women involved in the two world wars and later conflicts.

Cabinet ministers, religious leaders and representatives of Commonwealth nations attended alongside more than 800 members of the armed forces.

A royal aide laid a wreath on behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh, who retired from royal duties in 2017.

For the first time, the ambassador of Nepal placed a wreath to honour the contribution Gurkha regiments have made to the UK's military campaigns over two centuries.

In another first, the intelligence services were honoured during the ceremony, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Home Secretary Priti Patel laying wreathes on their behalf.

Five former prime ministers Sir John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and Theresa May, were all present.

After wreaths were laid, Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally led a service that ended with the Royal Air Force sounding the bugle call, Rouse.

Following the service, crowds lined the streets in the winter sun to watch as up to 10,000 war veterans marched in a slow procession past the war memorial.

Regiments and societies walked past the Cenotaph in groups, their pace matching the drum beat of a brass band.

Some wheelchair-using veterans left their chairs behind and walked the distance instead, their medals sparkling on their lapels.

World War Two veteran Ron Freer, 104, who is blind, is thought to be the oldest person to have marched at the Cenotaph this year.

The Remembrance Sunday commemorations always hold "special significance" for him because his father was killed in 1918 and is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery in the Somme, France, according to Blind Veterans UK.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Mr Johnson said he would be "proud" to lay his first wreath at the Cenotaph as prime minister, and vowed to continue to "champion those who serve today with such bravery in our military".

Labour leader Mr Corbyn said: "It was an honour meeting and hearing the stories of veterans, and all those who came to pay their respects."

He earlier said in a video message that many serving personnel, veterans and their families were "not getting the support they deserve".

And Liberal Democrat leader Ms Swinson said people should pause to reflect and remember how "fragile" peace can be.

The trio were joined at the commemorations by the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford and the DUP's Nigel Dodds.

Elsewhere, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance at Edinburgh City Chambers before giving a reading at the service at St Giles' Cathedral.

In Northern Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar laid a green laurel wreath at the war memorial in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, on behalf of his government.

Ceremonies also took place across Wales, including at the Welsh National War Memorial in Cardiff.

This year marks 100 years since the first two-minute silence was observed to mark Armistice Day on 11 November 1919.

The UK's Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, told BBC One's Andrew Marr show it was important to remember that Remembrance Sunday was not only about older people and previous generations.

Gen Carter - Britain's most senior military officer - said many who participated in the commemorations were young men and women who fought in places such as Afghanistan.

"We have to remember the living veterans as well who have a huge amount to offer to society," he added.

The ceremony at the Cenotaph came after Prince Harry, Meghan, Prince William and Kate joined the Queen at London's Royal Albert Hall on Saturday for the Festival of Remembrance.

It was their first appearance as a group since Harry and Meghan said they were struggling with public life.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×