Royal Family Instagram shares photos marking Remembrance Sunday

The Royal Family Instagram account has shared a selection of photographs marking the tradition of British monarchs laying a wreath at the Cenotaph to mark King Charles III’ first Remembrance Sunday service as Monarch.

Shared in a post, the snaps capture His Majesty The King laying the wreath for the first time as Monarch today in London, while another image shows King George V, who unveiled the Cenotaph, also taking part in the tradition in 1920. 

While another picture showed a young Queen Elizabeth II laying the wreath at the annual Festival of Remembrance in 1954.

The Prince and Princess of Wales also shared a touching tribute on their official Instagram account with included a snap of the Queen Consort, Camilla, and Kate watching the service.

Meanwhile, The Royal Family shared some more moving snaps from the days events in a second post.

The post read: ‘A Wreath is laid at the Cenotaph by His Majesty The King. This tradition was started by King George V in 1920, who unveiled the Cenotaph, and has been continued by every Monarch since.’

On 11 November 1920 King George V unveiled the Cenotaph, the national memorial to the ‘Glorious Dead’ of the 1914-1918 war.

Elsewhere, in one snap on The Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram post, Kate, 40, wrapped up warm in a black coat, which was adorned with three poppies, and a matching hat as she stood on the balcony alongside Camilla, 75, to watch King Charles, 73, and Prince William, 40, lay wreaths to pay respects to Britain’s war dead.

The mother-of-three paid tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana as she donned a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings that once belonged to the royal. 

Diana wore the earrings on various occasions, including at a banquet for the Japanese Emperor Akihito in 1990 – and at a gala at the Palace of Versailles in 1994.

© Provided by Daily Mail
Today King Charles placed a new poppy wreath incorporating a ribbon of his racing colours, with the design a tribute to the ones used by both his late mother and his grandfather George VI (pictured)

© Provided by Daily Mail
The post read: ‘A Wreath is laid at the Cenotaph by His Majesty The King. This tradition was started by King George V in 1920, who unveiled the Cenotaph, and has been continued by every Monarch since.’

While another snap showed The Prince of Wales laying his wreath, complete with the feathers of the heir apparent. This was the wreath previously laid by his father. 

The wreath, bearing the colours of the Prince of Wales, also wore a brand-new ribbon in Welsh red.

The post read: ‘At the #RemembranceSunday Service this morning, remembering all those who have served and continue to serve our nation and the Commonwealth. #LestWeForget’

The Royal Family Instagram account shared another update from the days touching events which was accompanied by a slew of moving snaps from the service.

The post read: ‘On #RemembranceSunday, members of The Royal Family attended the National Service of Remembrance, with The King, The Prince of Wales, The Earl of Wessex and The Princess Royal laying wreaths at the Cenotaph.

‘A wreath was laid on behalf of The Queen Consort, who joined The Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Sir Tim Laurence to watch the service from the @foreigncommonwealthoffice balcony.

‘A tradition of every Remembrance Sunday is the @royalbritishlegion March Past of 10,000 Veterans – this year The Earl of Wessex took the salute.’

The snaps included The Earl of Wessex who took the salute at the Remembrance Sunday march, which was made up of 10,000 veterans. 

While another showed Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex on a balcony overlooking the service.  

Today King Charles placed a new poppy wreath incorporating a ribbon of his racing colours, with the design a tribute to the ones used by both his late mother and his grandfather George VI.

Meanwhile Big Ben chimed eleven times at 11am, as it returned to service after years of maintenance and repair.

As Charles led the nation at the Cenotaph for the first time as King, the service was likely a poignant moment for the Royal Family. In a moving ceremony on Friday, the late Queen and her commitment to war veterans was remembered in an evening attended by members of the royal family including the Prince and Princess of Wales and Princess Anne.  

At around 10:40am, the march past the Cenotaph paused temporarily while Scottish members of the UK’s armed forces, the Fourth Battalion of Highlanders, played the bagpipes, accompanied by drums.

At 10.58am, the military parade was brought to attention as King Charles III arrived. Big Ben rang eleven times to mark the beginning of the two minutes of silence, and a sombre hush fell over the crowd.

After the two minutes of prayer and reflection had ended, in an emotional tribute to those killed during the wars of the last century, members of the military played the Last Post.  

King Charles III then laid his wreath and saluted to the Cenotaph on behalf of the nation. 

A wreath was then laid on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen Consort, who was watching in a balcony alongside the Princess of Wales. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, also attended today’s event.

The Prince of Wales then proceeded to lay his wreath, complete with the feathers of the heir apparent. This was the wreath previously laid by his father. The wreath, bearing the colours of the Prince of Wales, also bears a brand-new ribbon in Welsh red.

The Earl of Wessex and Princess Royal then laid a wreath, before one was laid on behalf of the Duke of Kent.

Read more