Remembrance Sunday live: Princess Kate ‘emotional’ as she joins King Charles for rare royal appearance
Camilla unable to join royals at service at Cenotaph due to chest infection
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Your support makes all the difference.An emotional Princess of Wales joined the King at the Cenotaph this morning as she made a rare second appearance for Remembrance weekend.
On Sunday, Charles lead the nation in a two-minute silence to honour those who have died in conflict with his son, the Prince of Wales, and his sister, the Princess Royal, stood behind him.
Kate, dressed in black with three poppies pinned to her coat, looked sombre as she watched the service from above on the nearby Foreign Office balcony.
The monarch went on the lay the first wreath to honour the war dead at the Cenotaph, with William and Anne following suit.
They were joined by politicians including prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, the new Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and a number of former prime ministers who then to laid their own floral tributes.
Kate’s appearance marks a significant step in her gradual return to public royal duties following her cancer treatment as she carried out two consecutive days of public official engagements for the first time since the start of the year.
Kate wears late Queen’s earrings at Remembrance ceremony
Dressed in sombre black as is the tradition, the Princess of Wales wore a netted hat with her hair in a twisted chignon, and a military-style coat featuring black epaulettes and embellished at the neck with a black velvet bow.
Her diamond and pearl drop earrings belonged to the late Queen, and she also wore her silver Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch – in a nod to her role as the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief – beneath three red poppies.
King lays first wreath at Cenotaph
The King laid a wreath at the Cenotaph to honour those who have died in conflict after leading the nation in a two-minute silence in one of the annual Remembrance Sunday service’s most poignant moments.
Charles, dressed in his Royal Navy uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet, saluted after stepping back from the Cenotaph.
His wreath closely resembles one produced for King George VI, with 41 paper poppy petals mounted on an arrangement of black leaves, as is traditional for Sovereign’s wreaths, and adorned with a scarlet, purple and gold ribbon and bow.
The colours of the ribbon and bow are from the King’s racing silk.
Other members of the royal family laid wreaths, including the Prince of Wales in his Royal Air Force uniform in the rank of Wing Commander.
Royals honour nation’s war dead at Cenotaph
King Charles and the Princess of Wales were amongst the senior members of the royal family to commemorate the nation’s war dead at the Cenotaph this morning.
The monarch led the nation in a solemn two-minute silence to honour those who have died in conflict as he stood before the monument with his son, the Prince of Wales, and sister, the Princess Royal, standing behind him.
Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales watched the ceremony from above on the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office balcony overlooking Whitehall with Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Charles went on to lay the first wreath at the Cenotaph before William and Anne followed suit.
Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch join Remembrance Sunday service
King leads two minutes silence
King Charles is currently leading the nation in a solemn two-minute silence to honour those who have died in conflict.
The monarch appeared at the Cenotaph on Sunday mourning for the poignant ceremony as his son, the Prince of Wales, and sister, the Princess Royal, stood behind him.
Kate arrives at ceremony
The Princess of Wales has arrived at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.
As is tradition, Kate stood by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh to watch from above, on the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office balcony overlooking Whitehall.
In 2023 Kate stood next to the Queen but in Camilla’s absence this year due to a chest infection the princess was accompanied by the duchess.
The pair emerged just before 11am to join the nation in commemorating those who have died or suffered in war and conflict.
It is the first time since the start of the year that Kate, who is recovering from cancer, is carrying out two consecutive days of public official engagements.
Starmer and former prime ministers arrive at service
The current prime minister and former prime ministers have arrived at the service to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
Sir Keir Starmer was joined by newly appointed leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, and a number of former prime ministers including Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Tony Blair.
Nigel Farage and Carla Denyer watch service from above
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer are among the politicians watching the Remembrance Sunday service from a balcony at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Only the heads of parties with six or more seats in Parliament, plus the leaders of the largest party from each of the devolved nations, lay a wreath at the Cenotaph during the service.
Reform has five MPs and the Greens have four.
Pictures from the Cenotaph
Remembrance Sunday parade begins
This year’s Remembrance Sunday events are now beginning in Whitehall as thousands await the arrival of the royal family.
Some of the 10,000 veterans joining the The Royal British Legion’s veteran parade have begun marching past the Cenotaph in central London.
Those marching represent 326 different armed forces and civilian organisations.
More than 800 sailors, soldiers and aviators will also be on duty on Remembrance Sunday, representing their services at the Cenotaph and at commemorative services at Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Nato and the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between the UK and France.
It also 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.
Thousands of people are later expected to line Whitehall to take part in the two-minute silence.
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