King Charles Leads Remembrance Sunday Ceremonies as Royal Family Honors War Dead

On Sunday, November 10, King Charles III led the nation in honoring the war dead on Remembrance Sunday, a significant event held annually on the second Sunday of November. The ceremony, which commemorates the signing of the armistice to end World War I, took place at the Cenotaph in central London.

The King, dressed in his Royal Navy uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet, laid a wreath of poppies at the base of the Cenotaph, followed by laying a wreath on behalf of Queen Camilla, who was absent due to a chest infection. Prince William, the heir to the throne, also laid a wreath featuring the Prince of Wales’ feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red.

The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, attended the ceremony, marking her return to public duties after a period of health challenges. She watched from a balcony of the nearby Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, as is tradition. The event saw the participation of other senior royals, political leaders including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and eight former Prime Ministers, and envoys from Commonwealth countries.

The ceremony included a two-minute silence, followed by buglers from the Royal Marines playing the Last Post. Around 10,000 veterans, including those who fought in recent conflicts such as Afghanistan and Iraq, marched past the Cenotaph. The event highlighted the strong link between the monarchy and the military, with service members and veterans paying their respects to the fallen.

Prince Harry, although not present at the ceremony, contributed to the day by sending sweets to children involved in the Royal British Legion‘s march past the Cenotaph. These children are part of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports bereaved military children and young people. Harry, who is an ambassador for the charity, also wrote a letter to the members reflecting on the significance of Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made by service members and their families.