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King Charles appeared emotional as he laid his wreath at the Cenotaph during today’s Remembrance Sunday service.
The ceremony was particularly poignant for the Royal Family, as it marked the first since the death of Queen Elizabeth, who valued Remembrance Day as one of her most important duties.
Charles laid 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.
He was forced to compose himself before laying his wreath, as he led the ceremony for the first time as Monarch, prompting some royal watchers to take to Twitter, describing him as ’emotional’.
King Charles appeared emotional as he laid his wreath at the Cenotaph during today’s Remembrance Sunday service
King Charles III salutes the Cenotaph after laying his wreath as monarch for the first time, taking over from his late mother
The royal appeared to take a moment to compose himself during the service today. His late mother valued Remembrance Day as one of her most important duties
Meanwhile Big Ben chimed 11 times at 11am, as it returns to service after years of maintenance and repair.
Today’s service also marks the 40th anniversary of the war in the Falklands, in which 255 British personnel lost their lives.
Crowds lined the streets of London, with war veterans including Chelsea Pensioners preparing to take part in the march.
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.
The King was clearly emotional as he stepped into the role the late Queen Elizabeth II counted as one of her most important public duties
King Charles III led other members of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales and Princess Royal, out to attend the Cenotaph service
It was not the first time King Charles has led Prince William (left) and Princess Anne (right) to the ceremony – but it is the first time he has done so as a monarch
The Prince of Wales was the second person to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph, which bore the feathers of the heir apparent
The Prince of Wales also looked unusually emotional as he took part in the ceremony his grandmother held so dear to her
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 11 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.
Some royal watchers took to Twitter to note that the King was looking ’emotional’ during the ceremony today
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.
The military parade then stood at ease as music played and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer led the rest of the wreath-laying. They were followed by leader of the SNP Ian Blackford and leader of the Lib Dems Ed Davey.
The Princess of Wales cut a sombre figure as she attended the Remembrance Sunday service in London today, alongside other senior members of the Royal Family
Kate, 40, wrapped up warm in a black coat, which was adorned with three poppies, and a matching hat as she arrived alongside the Prince of Wales to watch King Charles, 73, and Prince William, 40, lay wreaths to pay respects to Britain’s war dead
The Queen Consort (left), Camilla, and Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, stand on the Whitechapel balcony to watch the ceremony
Sophie, Countess of Wessex and wife of Prince Edward, attends the ceremony from the spouse’s balcony alongside Kate Middleton and the Queen Consort
The service is being led by the Lord Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally. She has held the role since 2018.
As well as the King and Queen Consort, many members of the royal family were in attendance this morning. This includes the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
Numerous former Prime Ministers including Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron and Tony Blair are also there, some of whom are laying wreaths at the Cenotaph.
The Cenotaph in London, pictured moments before the arrival of King Charles III and the two-minute silence
The armed forces are watched as they parade past the Cenotaph by veterans and members of the public gathered for the occasion
Some 10,000 veterans and military personnel are involved in today’s march, which ends at the Cenotaph
Huge crowds gathered along the streets of Westminster to watch the military parade on Sunday morning
Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle also laid a wreath on behalf of the entire House of Commons.
The Queen, who died nine weeks ago at the age of 96, considered Remembrance Sunday, which commemorates the war dead, one of the most significant and important engagements in the royal calendar.
She first laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in 1945 when she was still a princess. The nation’s longest-reigning monarch, who lived through the Second World War as a teenager and was head of the armed forces, only missed seven Cenotaph services during her reign, including in 2021 due to a back sprain.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak bowed his head after laying his wreath in a mark of respect for those who lost their lives
Ian Blackford, Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak (L-R) hold their wreaths in preparation as they wait for the arrival of King Charles III
(Left to right) British former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair’s wife Cherie Blair, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s his wife Akshata Murty, British former Prime Minister Theresa May’s husband Philip May and British former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ husband Hugh O’Leary attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony
Deputy Labour Party leader Angela Rayner leading a parade for Remembrance Sunday in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, Greater Manchester on Sunday
Seven former Prime Ministers lined up at the Cenotaph on Sunday, the most ever to watch the current PM lay his wreath
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