The nation fell silent today as King Charles lead a moving Remembrance Sunday service for the first time as monarch.
A two-minute silence took place across the UK at 11am with wreaths laid by members of the royal family, senior politicians and faith representatives at the Cenotaph in London, followed by the sounding of the Last Post.
Big Ben struck 11 times at 11am to mark the start of the two-minute silence which signalled the official return of the Elizabeth Tower’s bells after they were silenced at the beginning of the huge conservation programme in 2017.
Big Ben joined bells across the country and worldwide to commemorate those who lost their lives in the two world wars and later conflicts.
The King and William, Prince of Wales, were among those on Whitehall taking part in the two-minute silence, with the Queen Consort and a sombre Kate, the Princess of Wales, looking on from a nearby balcony.
Charles saluted the Cenotaph as he laid a new poppy wreath incorporating a ribbon of his racing colours, with the design a tribute to the ones used by both his late mother and his grandfather George VI.
A wreath was also laid on the Queen Consort’s behalf for the first time as Camilla watched from the balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office building.
They both wore elegant black coats and hats and each had three poppies pinned to them as well as diamond brooches.
Kate wore earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana and at one point looked close to tears as she watched proceedings. Camilla wore the same black hat she wore to the the Queen's funeral in September.
There was also a poignant empty space on the balcony, where the late Queen had stood to watch the emotional service in previous years when King Charles would lay the wreath on her behalf.
William, meanwhile, saluted the Cenotaph while wearing RAF uniform as the capital fell silent, as did Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
As the King, who was wearing the great coat of a No.1 Field Marshal, led the country at the Cenotaph for the first time as monarch, the National Service marked both a poignant and historical moment for the royal family.
Queen Elizabeth II, who died nine weeks ago at the age of 96, considered Remembrance Sunday, which commemorates the war dead, one of the most significant and important engagements in the royal calendar.
The nation’s longest-reigning monarch, who lived through the Second World War as a teenager and was head of the armed forces, only missed seven Cenotaph services during her reign, including in 2021 due to a back sprain.
A volley from a gun fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from nearby Horse Guards Parade rang out to signal the start of the moment of silent reflection, punctuated by the sound of London traffic, and another loud blast marked its end.
King Charles' wreath was soon joined by others left by the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Wessex, and the Princess Royal, with the Queen Consort’s assistant equerry, Captain Edward Andersen, laying her tribute.
The monarch appeared emotional and close to tears a short time later as the national anthem was played.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute to the fallen on behalf of the Government by leaving a wreath, followed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, other party leaders, senior members of the Cabinet, military chiefs of staff and high commissioners.
Retired Brigadier Jon Mullin, who served as a Lieutenant in the 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers during the conflict, is marching with South Atlantic Medal Association 82.
Reflecting on the sacrifices made to liberate the Falklands, he said: “I wanted to be part of a national commemoration to commemorate all those people who did this wonderful feat of arms and put it all together, and many have passed on in the intervening years.
“I think it’s important that the nation doesn’t forget the sacrifices.”
A short service followed the laying of the main wreaths, with the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, delivering a prayer.
She told those gathered: “O Almighty God, grant, we beseech thee, that we who here do honour to the memory of those who have died in the service of their country and of the Crown may be so inspired by the spirit of their love and fortitude that, forgetting all selfish and unworthy motives, we may live only to thy glory and to the service of mankind through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Meanwhile, around 10,000 Royal British Legion veterans, representing 300 different Armed Forces and civilian organisations, took part in a march past the Cenotaph.
They were joined by around 10,000 members of the public who lined Whitehall to watch and take in the moving service.
And among those marching were 100-year-old Second World War veterans and those who served in recent conflicts including in Afghanistan.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War, 400 members of the South Atlantic Medal Association also marched past the Cenotaph.
For the first time, seven former Prime Ministers, including John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, also gathered in the capital to pay their respects.
They were joined by bereaved family members with the youngest marcher aged just eight.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra will attend the service, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
In 2017, Charles began placing a wreath on his mother’s behalf as she watched from the Foreign Office balcony.
The change was seen as a subtle shift of head-of-state duties.
Ahead of the start of the Remembrance Sunday service, detachments of the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service formed up around the Cenotaph.
Crowds stood five deep around the memorial as they waited for the arrival of members of the royal family and the start of the ceremony.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “This year more than ever, we are reminded of the huge debt of gratitude we owe those who lay down their lives to protect their country.
“As we fall silent together on Remembrance Sunday , we will honour the memories of the men and women we have lost and pay tribute to the brave soldiers of Ukraine as they continue their fight for freedom.”
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there is a “special poignancy” to Remembrance Sunday this year.
In an interview broadcast on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, he said: “I think Remembrance Sunday is always poignant.
“I think it’s poignant for the whole nation, this special moment when we pause to reflect on the sacrifice and commitment of others to provide our freedom today.
“I think there’s a special poignancy this year with both the loss of Her Majesty, another loss of a Second World War veteran.
“I also think it’s poignant when we have once again the spectre of war in Europe and all that that entails, and a country that’s been invaded and is fighting for its freedom.”
In Northern Ireland, Irish premier Micheal Martin and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris attended a Remembrance ceremony in Enniskillen 35 years on from an IRA bomb at the event.
Eleven people died on the day of the attack at the town’s war memorial in 1987, with another victim dying years later having never woken from a coma.
It has become a recent tradition for the Taoiseach to attend the Enniskillen event.
In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon led tributes at what she called a “particularly poignant” Remembrance Sunday event in Edinburgh as Scotland stood silent to remember the fallen.
The First Minister was among many who laid wreaths of poppies at the stone of remembrance outside the city chambers, the first such gathering since all Covid restrictions were lifted.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s dedicated service and duty was hailed at the annual Festival of Remembrance attended by the King and other members of the royal family last night.
Charles and his siblings, the Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex, watched on as archive footage of their late mother was played at the Royal Albert Hall.
In one clip, the Queen was heard speaking of the “tremendous contribution” the Armed Forces had made to Britain’s “standing and reputation” throughout the world during her reign.
Hosting the annual Royal British Legion event, Huw Edwards said the late monarch had symbolised “completely” service and duty – which he described as the “watchwords” of military life.
The BBC newsreader told those gathered at the London venue: “It’s been a year where talk of service and duty has come to the fore.
“Service and duty are the watchwords of military life. They always have been.
“And no individual symbolised those watchwords more correctly, more completely than Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, patron of the Royal British Legion for a remarkable period spanning eight decades.”
