The new Prince of Wales, 40, joined members of the royal family at London’s Cenotaph war memorial to pay tribute to those who have died in war at the National Service of Remembrance, known also as Remembrance Sunday.
Wearing his Royal Air Force military uniform, Prince William laid the wreath of the Prince of Wales at the memorial. The wreath featured the Prince of Wales feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red. Following his father, King Charles, William placed his tribute, took a few steps backward and made a salute. He was followed by his uncle Prince Edward and then aunt Princess Anne, who also laid wreaths.
Prince William’s wife, Kate Middleton, watched the ceremony from the balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The service at the Cenotaph was also attended by King Charles and Queen Camilla; Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex; Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester; and the Duke of Kent.
Like his family members, Prince William wore a poppy pin. Each November, the red floral pins become a key piece of the royal family’s wardrobe, as it has been used since 1921 to commemorate military members who have died in wars. The red flower is primarily associated with the U.K. and Commonwealth countries for Remembrance Day on November 11.
The poppy symbol is believed to have come from the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, a poem about World War I. The opening stanza reads:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Following tradition, the royals changed their social media photos to reflect Remembrance Day, commemorating those who died in war.
The Prince and Princess of Wales replaced a candid shot of themselves giggling during a 2020 tour in Ireland on both Instagram and Twitter. In its place is a picture of the couple at the Festival of Remembrance, an annual event at Royal Albert Hall to commemorate all those who have lost their lives in conflict, in 2018.
They also replaced their cover photo, swapping a photo of Union Jack flags lining a crowded street with a snap from the Field of Remembrance.
