Prince William joined members of the royal family in remembering those who died in conflicts.
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.
At the #RemembranceSunday Service this morning, remembering all those who have served and continue to serve our nation and the Commonwealth.#LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/zPCsxfcvwv
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) November 13, 2022
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.
In the U.K., the pins are sold by the Royal British Legion to help raise money for veterans.
Although less common, the U.S. also uses the symbol. The Veterans of Foreign Wars conducted the first nationwide distribution of remembrance poppies before Memorial Day in 1922, and the American Legion Auxiliary distributes paper poppies in exchange for donations around Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
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.
The royal family has played a central role in the Remembrance Day commemorations since King Charles' great-grandfather King George V laid the Unknown Warrior to rest in Westminster Abbey on November 11, 1920. Later that day, he unveiled The Cenotaph war memorial in nearby Whitehall.
On Sunday, the official Royal Family Twitter account shared photos of King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III laying wreaths.
On the minds of many veterans and observers was likely the late Queen Elizabeth, who had been at the Cenotaph on so many occasions before. Eight weeks earlier, her coffin passed the same spot during her funeral procession.
A Wreath is laid at the Cenotaph by His Majesty The King.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 13, 2022
This tradition was started by King George V in 1920, who unveiled the Cenotaph, and has been continued by every Monarch since.#LestWeForget#RemembranceSunday pic.twitter.com/Y7NG3Bz7VI
On Saturday, Prince William and Kate joined fellow royals at the Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall in London.
