Kate Looks Dignified While Wills and Harry Lay Wreaths as Royals Remember our War Dead at Poignant Cenotaph Service
- The Duchess of Cambridge looked courtly as watched her husband take part in the Remembrance Day ceremony
- The Duchess stood alongside Queen Maxima of the Netherlands whose husband also took part in the proceedings
- Queen was joined by Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry, whose involvement marks transition to full-time royal
- Whitehall ceremony was slightly shorter than in previous years, to reduce the time war veterans were made to stand
Daily Mail UK, 8 November 2015
The Duchess of Cambridge looked dignified as members of the Royal Family honoured the nation's war dead in a Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in central London.
The Queen was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and members of the leading political parties and Prince Harry, as she led Britain in a silent mark of respect.
A two-minute silence took place at 11am and wreaths were laid at the foot of the Whitehall memorial, followed by a veterans' march.
Paying tribute: Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge smiles from the balcony during the annual Whitehall Remembrance Day service as her husband took part in the ceremony
The Duke of Cambridge, who attended in his RAF Flight Lieutenant’s uniform, laid a wreath at the same time as Prince Harry – wearing the Captain’s uniform of the Blues and Royals
Sombre: The Duchess (left) stands alongside Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Westminster, London, today
The Duchess (second left) looked courtly as she stood alongside Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Queen Maxima and Sophie Countess of Wessex (left to right) from the balcony of the foreign office
The Duchess of Cambridge (left) cracked a smile as she chatted to Queen Maxima of the Netherlands during today's service
Smart: Kate, dressed in a sombre black coat and fascinator, speaks to Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence as they gathered to commemorate servicemen and women who have fallen in the line of duty since World War I
Watching on: Kate, who wore her hair loose rather than in her signature curls, is pictured with Queen Maxima and Sophie duchess of Wessex
During the service Kate looked courtly as she stood alongside the Countess of Wessex and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence from the balcony of the foreign office.
Kate, who wore her hair loose rather than in her signature curls, was dignified throughout the service and watched as her husband William and other members of the Royal family took part in the ceremony.
Dressed in a sombre black coat and fascinator, she observed the two minutes silence with grace and stood proud as she sang hymns which paid tribute to those who have fought for their country in past, and those who will do so in the future.
Also present was King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands who laid a wreath following an invitation from the Queen to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands after the end of the Second World War.
His wife Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, stood alongside Kate, on the balcony.
Other members of the Royal Family also laid wreaths. The Duke of Cambridge, who attended in his RAF Flight Lieutenant’s uniform, had laid a wreath at the same time as Prince Harry – wearing the Captain’s uniform of the Blues and Royals – and the Duke of York.
It was the first time members of the Royal family have done so ensemble in order to shave minutes off an already long ceremony for the more elderly veterans.
Prince Harry's involvement at the Cenotaph ceremony marked his official transition into a full-time royal.
And following the end of the official service at the Cenotaph, more than 10,000 people, 9,000 of whom were veterans began marching up from Horse's Guard Parade.
In honour: Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (left) Kate and Queen Maxima hold hymn books as they sing during the annual service
Silence: The Queen laid a wreath of poppies at the base of the Cenotaph in central London as she led a national act of remembrance this morning
Sombre mood: The monarch was at the ceremony in Whitehall, where she was joined by fellow members of the Royal family, senior politicians and veterans for a service of Remembrance
The Duke of Edinburgh joined the Queen for the service in London and was pictured laying a wreath at the Whitehall Cenotaph
We Will Remember Them: Royals and Senior Politicians Honour the Fallen as Wreaths are Laid at the Cenotaph and Nation Pays Respects to Those who Gave Their Lives to Defend us
- Britain has today paid silent respect to the nation's war dead in a Remembrance Sunday service led by the Queen
- Monarch was joined by Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry, whose involvement marks transition to full-time royal
- Senior politicians, were also at Cenotaph service in central London
- Whitehall ceremony was slightly shorter than in previous years, to reduce the time war veterans were made to stand
- A two-minute silence took place at 11am and wreaths were laid at the foot of the Whitehall memorial, followed by a veterans' march.
Politicians including Jeremy Corbyn (centre) and Prime Minister David Cameron (right) are pictured with wreaths at the Whitehall service
The Prime Minister lays his wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. The ceremony was slightly shorter this year, with arrangements made to reduce the time war veterans were made to stand before the parade moved off
Jeremy Corbyn's message read: 'In memory of the fallen in all wars. Let us resolve to create a world of peace.' The PM laid a wreath with the message : 'In memory of those who gave everything for our freedoms and our way of life. They will never be forgotten'
Falling silent: A two-minute silence was observed as Britain paid tribute to the nation's war dead in ceremonies across the country
Showing their respect: Prince Harry and Prince William saluted as the wreaths of poppies were laid at the base of the Cenotaph (pictured)
Crowds of people: The nation came together for the annual Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, central London today
Packed: Other members of the royal family, politicians, and high commissioners also laid their tributes as crowds lined Whitehall for the service, at the heart of which was a two-minute silence marked at the beginning and end by the firing of an artillery gun
Britain's most badly injured surviving soldier Ben Parkinson laid a wreath in his home town of Doncaster at a service this morning
Thousands of people took to the streets to watch the Remembrance Sunday parade as part of a service in Whitehall, central London
A Chelsea pensioner (centre) joined veterans attending the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London