Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla stood in a solemn salute at one of the most important events in the royal calendar.
The royal women joined members of the royal family, politicians, civil servants and veterans gathered in London to remember those who died or suffered during the war on Remembrance Sunday.
On the balcony above the Cenotaph war memorial in the English capital, the Princess of Wales, 41, took her place alongside Queen Camilla, 76, to watch as their husbands, Prince William, 41, and King Charles, 74, laid wreaths at the memorial during services.
The national service of remembrance – which also included a two-minute moment of silence at 11am local time on Remembrance Sunday – is an annual ceremony that always takes place on the second weekend in November. It honors those from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries who have died in the wars.
Prince William at the Remembrance Day celebrations on Sunday in London.
Chris Jackson/Getty
In the center is the laying of garlands of bright red poppies. Since 1921, the flower has been used as a symbol of memory for members of the army who died in wars.
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Under a gray London sky, the tributes from the country were led by King Charles – in the uniform of a Royal Air Force marshal with coat and sword – who stepped forward to lay the first wreath. Then, on behalf of Queen Camilla, her groom laid a second floral display.
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Princess Kate watches the service in London on Sunday.
Zak Hussein / SplashNews.com
William – wearing his signature red-collared officer’s cloak from The Blues and Royals, with the rank of lieutenant colonel – then stepped forward and laid the Prince of Wales wreath at the memorial.
On the wreath was a new ribbon in Welsh red. William paid his respects, took a few steps back and saluted with a white gloved hand.
Looking on from the balcony above, Princess Kate wore a bunch of poppies and a Royal Air Force pin on her black coat.
Prince William was followed by his uncle Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, followed by his aunt Princess Anne, who also laid wreaths.
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King Charles lays his wreath at the Cenotaph in central London on Sunday.
Kin Cheung – WPA collection/Getty
The ceremony began earlier when the royal family arrived after a procession that included Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his living predecessors, as well as representatives of about 20 different faiths and heads of the armed forces. There were also about 50 high commissioners from across the Commonwealth.
Then the royal party and veterans stood quietly as Big Ben a few hundred yards away rang the clock to mark the beginning of the two minutes’ silence.
The peaceful pause was interrupted when a cannon from the nearby Cavalry Guard parade sounded and the ceremonial laying of wreaths began. The Bishop of London then led a service of prayers and songs.
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Queen Camilla watches the service on Sunday from the balcony.
Zak Hussein / SplashNews.com
Remembrance Sunday is the centerpiece of several events commemorating those who fought and died or were injured in conflicts around the world. Military leaders, veterans and current soldiers took part in a moving memorial in London. Other events took place across the UK as the country stood in tandem with a silent two-minute commemoration in central London.
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As spectators and veterans waited for royals and clergy to join them in Whitehall, a military band played a range of traditional tunes including a humorous Nimrod by Elgar Variations. A mainstay of the royal year, it was the first service of remembrance since the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May.
The event followed Saturday’s Festival of Remembrance, which saw the royal family gather at the Royal Albert Hall for an evening of music and commemorations. On the poignant, poignant occasion, Charles unveiled statues to his late parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
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King Charles III during the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on November 12, 2023 in London, England.
Chris Jackson/Getty
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry took part in events over the Veterans Day weekend.
On Wednesday, the couple went to San Diego for a series of events related to military personnel. After spending the morning at Camp Pendleton, they attended the grand opening of the Navy SEAL Foundation’s Warrior Fitness program on the West Coast.
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Navy SEAL Foundation CEO Robin King told PEOPLE exclusively that the couple is “absolutely fantastic. They did a lot of homework on the Navy SEAL Foundation, on the program.”
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Members of the royal family in solemn silence at the memorial on Remembrance Sunday.
Chris Jackson/Getty
She added that Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, “came prepared and were extremely interested in knowing what the program was doing, what it was going to do and how it was going to impact the community.”
On Thursday, Prince Harry was named global ambassador for a UK charity that supports young people bereaved after losing a military parent, Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
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Source: HIS Education