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Remembrance Sunday

November 13, 2011 by · Comments Off on Remembrance Sunday 

Remembrance Sunday, The country fell silent today to remember its war dead at services across the country as the Queen led the nation in honouring the fallen.

At Whitehall’s iconic Cenotaph memorial the monarch laid the first wreath to commemorate members of the Armed Forces who died fighting in all conflicts since the First World War.

In brilliant autumn sunshine senior members of the monarchy, Prime Minister David Cameron, military chiefs and thousands of watching spectators gathered to pay their respects.

When the first stroke of eleven sounded from nearby Big Ben Whitehall observed a two-minute silence only punctuated by the hum of distant London traffic.

The Duchess of Cambridge watched the sombre events from a balcony at the Foreign and Commonwealth building with other royal women – the first time she has attended a Remembrance Sunday service as a member of the monarchy.

Her thoughts may have turned to her grandfather Peter Middleton who trained Canada pilots during the Second World War in Calgary and died last year aged 90.

Kate was joined on the Foreign and Commonwealth balcony by the Duchess of Cornwall, the Countess of Wessex and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the husband of the Princess Royal.

The Duchess of Cambridge was dressed in black like the other royals and wore two bright red poppies and a bowler style hat.

The members of the monarchy were followed by the politicians and other dignitaries who laid their floral tributes.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who yesterday returned from visiting troops in Afghanistan, paid tribute to the country’s Armed Services.

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