The British royals were marking a sombre occasion over the weekend.
Remembrance Sunday, observed in the UK on the second Sunday of November, marks the end of the First World War. It’s a day to reflect on the sacrifices made in war, and to thank the service members who defended the country.
During Sunday’s ceremony, Prince Charles watched as his son, Prince William, laid a wreath at the Cenotaph, a war memorial in Westminster, England.
The laying of the wreath is a task the Queen used to do herself, People magazine reported, but for three years now she’s asked her son and grandson to do it instead.
There’s usually a large crowd gathered for the solemn occasion, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was no audience this year.
Kate Middleton and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, watched from a balcony.
The Queen watched from a balcony next to theirs.
There isn’t a definitive reason why the royals wear so many poppies, but there are some theories. The Queen is thought to wear five poppies to represent the five services of war, according to Hello: the army, the navy, the Royal Air Force, the Civil Defence and women.
Kate Middleton’s choice to wear three could be because three of her great-grandmother’s brothers were killed during the First World War, the magazine added.
While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are living in California now, they still marked the important day.
Harper’s Bazaar reported the couple made a private visit to Los Angeles National Cemetery, where they laid flowers picked from their own garden on the graves of two Commonwealth soldiers: One a member of the Canadian Artillery, and the other a member of the Australian Air Force.
They also laid a wreath at an obelisk in the cemetery that features a plaque that reads, “In Memory of the Men Who Offered Their Lives in Defense of Their Country.”
According to the magazine, Harry added a note that read, “To all of those who have served, and are serving. Thank you.”
