THE QUEEN LEADS SILENT TRIBUTE TO THE WAR DEAD ON REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY AT THE CENOTAPH
Every year since 1919, The Royal Family, Prime Minister, leading politicians and religious leaders gather at The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, to commemorate all branches of the British and Commonwealth civilian and military services (past and present). Ceremonies are also held throughout Britain, and abroad, at war memorials and other public spaces.
At 11 a.m. a two minute silence is observed as a tribute to those who have lost their lives fighting for their Country, before the laying of the wreaths.
The first wreath is always laid by the Queen, and today, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands laid the second wreath to mark the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands at the end of the Second World War, and was followed shortly afterwards by The Duke of Edinburgh, and then Princes William, Andrew and Harry. Princess Anne and other senior members of the Royal Family followed shortly afterwards, and then wreaths were presented by the Prime Minister David Cameron and leader of the opposition party Jeremy Corbyn, followed by leaders of all other political parties and former Prime Ministers, the Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, the Commonwealth High Commissioners and representatives from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets and the civilian services.
A religious service of remembrance is then conducted, followed by music from Military bands. As the bands play, a huge parade of veterans (war heroes) march past the Cenotaph and salute it as they pass. (By saluting the Cenotaph – which means ‘empty tomb’ in Greek, they are paying their respects to all of those who have died and lie buried elsewhere.)
As the heroic veterans march back to Horse Guards Parade, a member of the Royal Family takes their salute in front of the Guards Memorial. The salute was taken today by the Duke of Cambridge.
Remembrance Sunday is always held on the second Sunday of November, as close as possible to the 11th, as it was on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 that fighting stopped in Europe, the Armistice was signed, and the Great War was over.
In 1914, the fields of Northern France and Flanders beared witness to the intense fighting during World War One as war raged through Europe.
When the war was over, the blood red poppy was one of the only plants to grow on the barren battlefields.
