British Royals Commemorate War Dead at the Cenotaph

AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

This morning, members of the British royal family took part in the annual Remembrance Sunday, a day where Britain’s war dead are commemorated. Originally intended to remember those who died fighting in World War I, Remembrance Sunday now is for the soldiers who were killed in World War II, and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wearing red paper poppies on their coats, Queen Elizabeth II and her grandsons, Princes William and Harry, laid floral wreaths at the Cenotaph, London’s biggest war memorial. A moment a silence came at 11 am local time, which was broken by a gun salute and a military band playing the “Last Post.”

This was Prince Harry’s first time participating in Remembrance Sunday. He stood in place for his father, Prince Charles, currently on an official visit to Canada. A war veteran as well, Prince Harry spent 10 weeks fighting in Afghanistan last year.

This year’s Remembrance Sunday is particularly poignant. Today announced Britain’s 200th death in Afghanistan. Also, the country’s last three World War I veterans – Bill Stone, Henry Allingham and Harry Patch – died this year.

Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett

The UK’s support for the war in Afghanistan has been waning as the death mounts. More polls show the majority of Britons believe the conflict cannot be won, and the country’s troops should be pulled out.

Remembrance Sunday takes place every year on the Sunday closest to November 11th, the day World War I was declared over in 1918.