The Queen led members of the Royal Family in the annual act of remembering all those who died in two world wars, and many other conflicts in recent history.
Events began with the opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.
Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh each laid a cross of remembrance after prayers by the Dean and Canon of Westminster. Trumpeters from the Household Calvary sounded the last post, followed by a two-minute silence. The Royal party then toured the plots and met veterans from past and more recent conflicts.
The first Field of Remembrance was opened in the grounds of Westminster Abbey in 1928 as a way for people to commemorate loved ones. Remembrance crosses, consisting of a poppy in the centre with space for a message of remembrance, are planted either by the Royal British Legion or by individuals. They remain on display for a week during the period of remembrance.
Two days later, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, The Princess Royal and The Duke of Kent all attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Festival is an annual event to honour the war dead which comprises musical performances, a service of remembrance and observance of a two minute silence. The service culminates in thousands of poppy petals being dropped from the roof of the hall to symbolise those killed in conflicts over the years.
The climax of the Remembrance events was the annual service at the Cenotaph on Whitehall during which 10,000 ex-service personnel and civilians marched past the Cenotaph in a parade to remember the fallen.
Wreaths were laid by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of York, The Princess Royal and The Duke of Kent following a two-minute silence.
This year, to mark the occasion, 20 war veterans used semaphore to send a silent message along the River Thames before it was decrypted at Whitehall. The message read:
"War turns us to stone. In remembrance we shine and rise to new days."
The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Princess Alexandra and Rear Admiral Timothy Laurence watched from the balcony of the Foreign Office, whilst Prince Harry marked the occasion at Sandhurst military academy where he is in training.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex attended remembrance events elsewhere in the UK with a concert at the Seaburn Centre in Sunderland on 12 November, followed by a service of remembrance at the war memorial in Sunderland the following day.
The Earl laid a wreath and took the salute at the march past at the Sunderland Remembrance Parade before attending a reception for veterans and parade participants. |