King Charles led the nation in a two-minute silence on Remembrance Sunday to honour those who have died in conflict at a ceremony in central London attended by thousands of veterans.
Charles took centre stage and laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph in recognition of the fallen from conflicts dating back to the First World War, and was followed by the Prince of Wales.
Wearing a field marshal uniform complete with a greatcoat, cap and sword, the King saluted as he stepped back from the monument in Whitehall.
His wreath closely resembled one produced for King George VI, with 41 paper poppy petals mounted on an arrangement of black leaves.
His son William, wearing the uniform of a lieutenant colonel of the Household Cavalry with a black cloak and sword, also saluted after laying his wreath.
William, who completed seven-and-a-half years of full-time operational military service in 2013, promotes the roles and welfare of current and former service personnel as a key part of his work.
The prince was followed by wreaths being laid by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal.
Prime minister Andy Burnham also laid a wreath, along with senior politicians including Kemi Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey, Nigel Farage, Shabana Mahmood and Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Standing close to the Cenotaph were nine former prime ministers: Sir John Major, Sir Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Lord Cameron, Baroness May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Sir Keir Starmer.
The Princess of Wales and the Queen, both dressed in black, watched the ceremony from the central balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office overlooking the Cenotaph.
Kate was wearing a black coat by Catherine Walker, earrings belonging to Diana, Princess of Wales, and a HMS Glasgow brooch.
The pair were joined on the balconies by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and the Duchess of Edinburgh.
A rendition of The Last Post was sounded by the Buglers of the Royal Marines as the silence concluded.
About 10,000 veterans took part in the Royal British Legion’s march-past after the service, with more than 300 armed forces and civilian organisations represented.
The veterans included around a dozen of the last surviving Second World War veterans, the oldest of whom is 105.
The 105-year-old thought to have taken part in this year’s ceremony is Jeffrey Brereton, who served as a mechanic on Hurricane aircraft during the Battle of Britain.
He volunteered for the RAF in 1940, aged 19, and left to join the fire service in 1946, according to the firefighters charity.
The youngest taking part in the march was eight-year-old Ronan Doncaster, who walked in honour of his father – a guardsman with the First Battalion Coldstream Guards who died in April 2024.
Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said: “Today we honour the courage of all those who have served and died in conflict.
“For the armed forces community, remembrance is a deeply personal time during which we reflect on the service of our predecessors and remember the colleagues we have lost.
“That same spirit of service continues to drive the men and women who serve today.”
Mark Atkinson, director general, Royal British Legion, said: “As we come together on Remembrance Sunday, we pay tribute to all those who have served and sacrificed, from generations past to those still serving today.
“This year, we have paid tribute to those who served in more recent conflicts, including the challenging operations in Bosnia, the Iraq War and the first Gulf War, and recognised the families who continue to live with the impact of that service.
“From risking their lives in war zones, providing support during emergencies and humanitarian disasters, and spending time away from loved ones, we owe those who serve in the armed forces, and the families who stand alongside them, our gratitude. We encourage the nation to pause, reflect and remember their service and sacrifice.”
