King Charles III and Kate Attend Remembrance Event as Both Slowly Return to Duty

LONDON : King Charles III led nation Sunday in a two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen service personnel in central London as Princess of Wales looked on, a furr sign that royal family is slowly returning to normal at end of a year in which two of most popular royals were sidelined by cancer.

Remembrance Sunday is a totemic event in U.K., with monarch leing senior royals, political leers, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his eight living predecessors, and envoys from Commonwealth countries in laying wreaths at Cenotaph, Portland stone memorial that serves as focal point for honoring nation’s war de.

service is held on second Sunday of November to mark signing of armistice to end World War I “on eleventh hour of eleventh day of eleventh month” in 1918. Across U.K., services are conducted at same time in memory of de.

After two-minute silence, buglers from Royal Marines played “Last Post,” and Charles led wreath-laying part of service.

75-year-old king, dressed in his Royal Navy uniform of miral of Fleet, laid a wreath of poppies at base of Cenotaph in recognition of fallen from conflicts dating back to World War I.

His eldest son and heir to throne, Prince William, left his own floral tribute — featuring Prince of Wales’ fears and a new ribbon in Welsh red.

Dressed in somber black, his wife, Kate, watched on from a balcony of nearby Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, as is trition. Queen Camilla, who would normally be standing next to princess, wasn’t present as she recovered from a chest infection.

It’s first time since start of year that Kate carried out two consecutive days of public official engagements. On Saturday, she attended Royal British Legion Festival Of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall.

Following wreath-laying, around 10,000 veterans, including those who have fought in wars this century, notably in Afghanistan and Iraq, marched past Cenotaph. With passage of time, re were only a handful of World War II veterans present.

“It’s always a great honor to be back on occasions like this, but I remember guys that never came home on my ship when it was torpedoed,” said 99-year-old Stan Ford, who has h to walk with leg calipers ever since ship that he was serving on — HMS Fratton — was sunk off France’s Normandy coast in August 1944 at cost of 31 lives.

“y never came home, and I always feel it’s my duty to put in an appearance and thank God for those that did survive, and to pray for ones who didn’t,” said Ford, who was one of 38 survivors.
Charles’ ceremonial role as commander in chief of armed forces is a holdover from days when monarch led his troops into battle. But link between monarchy and military is still very strong, with service members taking an oath of allegiance to king and members of royal family supporting service personnel through a variety of charities. Charles and William served on active duty in military before taking up full-time royal duties.

Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February, forcing him to step away from public appearances for two months as he focused on his treatment and recovery. Just a few weeks later, Kate announced her own cancer diagnosis, which sidelined her for much of year as she underwent chemorapy.

king has been in good form in recent months and recently completed a taxing trip to Australia and Samoa. Kate, who me her first post-diagnosis public appearance during monarch’s birthday pare in June, is slowly returning to public duties.

Prince William reflected this week on strain that cancer scare has placed on royal family.

“I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my far, for handling things that y have done,” William told reporters on Thursday as he wrapped up a four-day trip to South Africa. “But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

While Cenotaph was focus of national remembrance service, communities throughout U.K. held ir own ceremonies on Sunday.

Needham-Crofton, who served with Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers before a truck accident ended his military career, planned to attend a local service in Eastbourne on south coast of England.

He has spent much of his time honoring veterans and trying to help m, including 20 years as a volunteer for Taxi Charity for Military Veterans. Like some of his army tasks, raising cash was rar grueling as it involved standing in front of London subway stations collecting coins to help fund group’s efforts.

“I like to respect all veterans and do what I can for m,” he told Associated Press. “It’s a brorhood really. Even if you don’t know a veteran that you meet, you feel a kinship toward m. That is very important to me. I shall be like that for rest of my life.”

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