The British royal family gathered at the Cenotaph in London today for the annual Remembrance Sunday service, a moment to reflect and express gratitude for the sacrifices of men and women who have nobly served their country.
King Charles III led the royals who gathered at the Cenotaph on Sunday for the annual service. The memorial, dedicated in 1920, originally paid tribute to those who had served and died in World War I. The monument was unveiled on Armistice Day in 1920, during a state funeral held for the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey. Similar services following the same pattern have marked Armistice Day at the Cenotaph in the century since.
Now, the Cenotaph also honors the sacrifices made by men and women who served in World War II and subsequent conflicts. Starting in 1946, the service was permanently scheduled for the Sunday closest to Armistice Day and called “Remembrance Sunday.” It has been televised every year since then.
King Charles III laid a wreath at the memorial during today’s service, as did the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke of Edinburgh. All wore uniform for the ceremony.
More members of the royal family watched the service from the balconies of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which overlooks the Cenotaph. The Queen, still recovering from her recent illness, was advised by her doctors not to attend this weekend’s commemorations. In her absence, the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh watched from the central balcony during the service.
Princess Catherine, who is gradually returning to royal duties after her own health challenges this year, wore black for the occasion. She secured a trio of paper poppies on her coat with the badge of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards. She has been their Colonel-in-Chief since August 2023.
Kate also wore a special pair of diamond and pearl earrings that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II. These are the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings, made using two round pearls that Elizabeth received as a wedding present from the Hakim of Bahrain in 1947. The late Queen wore the earrings often throughout her seven-decade reign, and she also loaned them to members of her family, including Diana, Princess of Wales, the present Duchess of Edinburgh, and the present Princess of Wales.
Kate wore the earrings in public for the first time on Remembrance Sunday in 2016, and since then, she’s worn them for a whole range of occasions, from Jubilee celebrations and Royal Ascot to Trooping the Colour and the late Queen’s state funeral.
The Duchess of Edinburgh was elegant in black for the service as well. With her three paper poppies, she wore the badge of the Royal Irish Regiment. She was appointed to serve as their Colonel-in-Chief in August 2023.
Sophie also wore classic diamonds and pearls with her ensemble for the service, choosing a single strand of pearls and a pair of earrings featuring a central pearl surrounded by a lacy diamond design.
To the right of the Princess and the Duchess, on another balcony, were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Both wore black and paper poppies for the service. Birgitte also wore the cap badge of The Rifles. She is the Royal Colonel of the 7th Battalion of the regiment.
Birgitte also wore lovely diamonds and pearls for the service: pearl and diamond earrings, a pearl necklace, and a beautiful diamond brooch. We saw her wear the same brooch two years ago at the Festival of Remembrance.
On the balcony to the left of Kate and Sophie were two more members of the family: the Duke of Kent and the Princess Royal’s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. Both were in uniform for the service.
As the service concluded and the royals left the balcony, cameras caught Sophie resting a hand on Catherine’s back as they headed inside the building. It’s lovely to see Kate returning to the regular rhythm of royal life, and it’s also wonderful to see that the rest of the family is supporting her during her gradual return.
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