PA MediaPrince George has joined King Charles, Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales at this year’s Festival of Remembrance in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The audience stood and a fanfare played as the royals entered the concert hall to commemorate those who lost their lives in service, on the eve of Remembrance Sunday.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria also attended the annual event, which this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
It also comes 25 years after the end of a decades-long ban on gay people serving in the armed forces, and the event reflected on the discrimination faced by LGBT personnel.
It is believed to be 12-year-old George’s first time attending the annual concert. He sat next to his mother, Catherine, who wore a handmade poppy made of silk, glass and other natural materials.
The Royal Family stood and applauded as the Chelsea Pensioners – retired British Army veterans – entered the auditorium and marched across the stage, while an orchestra performed the Boys Of The Old Brigade.
The Prince of Wales was not present as he was travelling back from Brazil, where he gave a speech to world leaders gathering for the COP30 UN climate change summit and visited a remote island.
PA MediaThe event – which was broadcast on BBC One at 21:00 – was hosted by actress Hannah Waddingham and featured performances by musicians including Sir Rod Stewart and Sam Ryder.
Waddingham shared her thanks to those who had served, including her grandfather Harry, “who at 109 still shares with me memories of his time in the Royal Navy”.
Several armed forces bands also took to the stage to accompany the artists and perform military music, including the RAF Squadronaires.
PA MediaVeterans in attendance included some who had helped to plan D-Day – when Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, marking the start of the campaign to liberate north-west Europe during World War Two – and some who had been prisoners of war.
Members of the LGBTQ+ veterans charity Fighting With Pride were also present, including former PO Alex Rasmussen from Bournemouth, who was made to leave the Royal Navy in 1996 after colleagues discovered his sexuality.
The King attended his first official engagement in support of the community in October, as he unveiled a memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel.
PA MediaEvents will take place around the country tomorrow to mark Remembrance Sunday, which is observed on the closest Sunday to Armistice Day on 11 November.
Marking the moment World War One ended in 1918, it will see two minutes of silence held at 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.bbc.com ’
