Buckingham Palace has confirmed that members of the Royal Family, including the King, Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales, will all attend Remembrance events next week, culminating in the annual Remembrance Day service at The Cenotaph in London on Sunday, November 9.
The King, who will have returned from his tour of the Caribbean, and Prince William will lay wreaths in memory of the nation's war dead alongside Princess Anne and Prince Edward. The King's wreath of poppies will be mounted on an arrangement of black leaves, as is traditional for the sovereign, and will bear his racing colours of scarlet, purple and gold.
Wreaths and Attendees
A wreath laid on behalf of Camilla, by her equerry, will bear her racing colours, inherited from her father. William's wreath will feature the Prince of Wales feather and a ribbon in Welsh red.
Camilla, Kate, the Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent will also attend, watching proceedings from the balcony of the Foreign Office. The King was announced as a patron of the Royal British Legion in 2024 and will lead the nation in a two-minute silence.
Festival of Remembrance
The night before, the King and Queen and other members of the family will attend the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Last year, Prince George attended the event for the first time alongside his mother, the Princess of Wales. The 13-year-old, who started at Eton College in September, has been moving into a more senior role over recent months.
Last May, he made a surprise appearance at a Buckingham Palace tea party with William and Kate to mark the start of VE Day commemorations, where he spoke to veterans who were left 'impressed' by his interest in their stories.
This year's festival will reflect on those who served in operations in Bosnia, the Gulf War and the Iraq War. Personal stories will bring to light the memories of those who served through their letters, known as 'Blueys' – the distinctive light-blue airmail letters sent home to loved ones. The theme of this year's festival is Places of Remembrance, which will explore how places people associate with those who have been lost can hold profound personal meaning.
Further Commemorations
On Thursday, November 5, the Duchess of Gloucester, on behalf of the Queen, will attend the 98th Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. There, the Duchess will plant a cross before the Last Post is sounded, before meeting service personnel and their families.
On Armistice Day, November 11, both the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will also visit the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens for a Service of Remembrance at the Armed Forces Memorial.
