King Charles leads Remembrance Day tribute
Britain observed its annual Remembrance with King Charles leading the nation in commemorating its war dead at London's Cenotaph memorial. The monarch led a two-minute silence and laid a wreath in a solemn ceremony honoring casualties of all conflicts.
The event saw significant attendance from the royal family, including Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, who made her second public appearance since her cancer treatment. The ceremony was notable for Queen Camilla's absence as she recovers from a chest infection. Kate watched from a government building balcony as royal family members and politicians laid wreaths at the memorial.
In an historic moment, Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill became the first Sinn Féin politician to participate in a formal Remembrance ceremony at Belfast City Hall. O'Neill emphasized her commitment to being a "first minister for all" and building bridges toward a shared future, laying a wreath with a message expressing her wish to take society "beyond old limits."
The commemoration brought together an unprecedented gathering of eight former prime ministers, along with Labour leader Keir Starmer and Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, who laid a wreath for the first time.
Approximately 10,000 veterans, representing 326 different armed forces and civilian organizations, marched past the Cenotaph. The procession included about 95 young people from Scotty's Little Soldiers, a charity supporting children of fallen service members. Chelsea Pensioners received enthusiastic cheers as they marched down Whitehall during the Royal British Legion event.
This year's commemorations held special significance as they coincided with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Communities across Britain joined in the remembrance, with ceremonies held at war memorials in villages, towns, and cities throughout the country, as generations gathered to commemorate lives lost in conflicts.
